Effects of L-carnitine fed during gestation and lactation on sow and litter performance

• Published in: Journal of animal science Vol. 77; no. 12; pp. 3289 - 3295
• Main Authors: Musser, R. E, Goodband, R. D, Tokach, M. D, Owen, K. Q, Nelssen, J. L, Blum, S. A, Dritz, S. S, Civis, C. A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Savoy, IL Am Soc Animal Sci 01.12.1999; American Society of Animal Science; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Animal productions; Animal reproduction; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Carnitine - blood; Carnitine - pharmacology; Diet; Estrus; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hogs; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I - analysis; Lactation - drug effects; Male; Parity; Pregnancy; Pregnancy, Animal - drug effects; Swine - physiology; Terrestrial animal productions; Vertebrates; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Weight; Lactation; Levocarnitine; Supplemented diet; Survival; Pig; Pregnancy; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Mother young relation; Newborn animal; Breeding success; Female; Artiodactyla; Ungulata
• ISSN: 0021-8812; 1525-3163; 0021-8812
• DOI: 10.2527/1999.77123289x

Multiparous sows (n = 307) were used to evaluate the effects of added dietary L-carnitine, 100 mg/d during gestation and 50 ppm during lactation, on sow and litter performance. Treatments were arranged as a 2 (gestation or lactation) x2 (with or without L-carnitine) factorial. Control sows were fed 1.81 kg/d of a gestation diet containing .65% total lysine. Treated sows were fed 1.59 kg/d of the control diet with a .23 kg/d topdressing of the control diet that provided 100 mg/d of added L-carnitine. Lactation diets were formulated to contain 1.0% total lysine with or without 50 ppm of added L-carnitine. Sows fed 100 mg/d of added L-carnitine had increased IGF-I concentration on d 60 (71.3 vs. 38.0 ng/mL, P<.01) and 90 of gestation (33.0 vs. 25.0 ng/mL, P = .04). Sows fed added L-carnitine had increased BW gain (55.3 vs 46.3 kg; P<.01) and last rib fat depth gain (2.6 vs. 1.6 mm; P = .04) during gestation. Feeding 100 mg/d of added L-carnitine in gestation increased both total litter (15.5 vs. 14.6 kg; P = .04) and pig (1.53 vs 1.49 kg; P<.01) birth weight. No differences were observed in pig birth weight variation. Added L-carnitine fed during gestation increased litter weaning weight (45.0 vs. 41.3 kg, P = .02); however, no effect of feeding L-carnitine during lactation was observed. No differences were observed in subsequent days to estrus or farrowing rate. Compared to the control diet, feeding added L-carnitine in either gestation, lactation, or both, increased (P<.05) the subsequent number of pigs born alive, but not total born. In conclusion, feeding L-carnitine throughout gestation increased sow body weight and last rib fat depth gain and increased litter weights at birth and weaning.