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PRINT: ISSN 2221-1896
ONLINE : ISSN 2223-0343
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Effect of L-carnitine on fertility, hatchability and
sex hormones in duck breeder
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Hazim J. Al-Daraji and Anmar O. Tahir |
University of Baghdad,
College of
Agriculture, Department of Animal Production,
Baghdad,
Iraq
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Abstract |
In this experiment, 30
weeks-old, eighty four Iraqi drakes and sixty ducks were randomly
divided into 4 equal groups and
fed dietary L-carnitine for 12 weeks (0 mg/kg diet; control group (T1),
50 mg/kg diet (T2), 100 mg/kg diet (T3) and 150
mg/kg diet (T4). The traits examined were egg fertility,
hatchability and mortality of embryos and some blood sex hormones. L-carnitine
significantly increased (P≤0.01) the fertility, hatchability of fertile
eggs and hatchability of total eggs and significantly decreased (P≤0.01)
embryonic mortality during all three hatching cycles. However, the
supplementation of dietary L-carnitine at levels of 50, 100 or 150 mg/kg
to a basal diet significantly increased (P≤0.01) blood testosterone in
drakes during all three months of experiment. Moreover, supplemental
dietary L-carnitine at level of 50, 100 or 150 mg/kg to a basal diet
significantly increased (P≤0.01) blood oestrogen and progesterone in
mature ducks during all three months of experiment. We concluded
positive effect of L-carnitine on the reproductive performance of drakes
and ducks.
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Keywords:
Carnitine; fertility;
hatchability; sex hormones; ducks |
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To cite this article:
Al-Daraji HJ and AO Tahir, 2014.
Effect
of L-carnitine on duck breeder fertility, hatchability and sex hormones.
Res.
Opin.
Anim. Vet. Sci., 4(11): 608-613. |
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