The effects of L-carnitine and type of fat on carcass characteristics and immune response of broiler chickens

Abstract

Two hundred and forty one-day-old male broilers (Ross-308) in 6 treatments with 4 replicates and 10 birds in each replicate were used in this experiment. Dietary treatments consisted of: 1)diet with 5% vegetable oil (T1), 2) diet with 5% vegetable oil + 300mg/kg L-carnitine (T2), 3)diet with 5% animal fat (T3), 4)­­diet with 5% animal fat + 300mg/kg L-carnitine (T4), 4)­diet whit mixed vegetable and animal fat (equal to 2.5%) (T5), 5)­ diet whit mixed vegetable and animal fat (equal to 2.5%) + 300mg/kg L-carnitine (T6). The diets with L-carnitine showed a significant effect on body weight in grower and whole growth period (p

Keywords

• L-carnitine
• Fat sources
• carcass characteristics
• Immune response
• broiler chicken