The Effects of Different Amounts of Carnitine on Growth Performance, Digestibility and Rumen Metabolities in Lambs

This study was carried out to investigate supplementation of various amounts of carnitine on feed intake, weight gain, digestibility, ruminal pH and volative fatty acids in finishing lamb. For that purpose, 7-8-month-old fifteen ram-lambs, weighing 34 kg, were used. They divied into three groups as one control and two treatment groups (n=5 per group) and fed in individually cages for 50 days. Animals were fed with a ration consisting of 70 % concentrate and 30 % hay. Carnitine was added to concentrate in such a way that daily intake was 150 mg or 300 mg/day/lamb in the treatment groups. There were no effect of carnitine supplementation on weight gain, feed intake and digestibilities of dry matter and organic matter in groups. But, digestibility of crude protein was * İlk yazarın yüksek lisans tezinden özetlenmiştir. the lowest in the group of 150 mg carnitine supplemented (P<0.05). Body weights were 39.8, 37.6 and 38.6 kg for control group and 150 mg and 300 mg carnitine supplemented groups, respectively (P>0.05). No effect of carnitine supplementation was observed on ruminal pH and volative fatty acids levels (P>0.05). Total volatile fatty acid levels were 98.6, 97.5 ve 98.3 mmol/l fort he groups, respectively. In conclusion, no positive effects of supplementing finishing ration of lambs with 150 or 300 mg/day/lamb of carnitine was observed on growth performance, digestibility of ration, ruminal pH and volatile fatty acids