Abdel-Khalek, A., El-Harairy, M., Khalil, W., AbdulJabbar, N. (2015). EFFECT OF L-CARNITINE ADMINISTRATION ON ANATOMICAL STRUCTURE OF THE DIGESTIVE TRACT SEGMENTS IN LAMBS. Journal of Animal and Poultry Production, 6(6), 407-425. doi: 10.21608/jappmu.2015.52894
A. E. Abdel-Khalek; M. El-Harairy; W. A. Khalil; N. B. AbdulJabbar. "EFFECT OF L-CARNITINE ADMINISTRATION ON ANATOMICAL STRUCTURE OF THE DIGESTIVE TRACT SEGMENTS IN LAMBS". Journal of Animal and Poultry Production, 6, 6, 2015, 407-425. doi: 10.21608/jappmu.2015.52894
Abdel-Khalek, A., El-Harairy, M., Khalil, W., AbdulJabbar, N. (2015). 'EFFECT OF L-CARNITINE ADMINISTRATION ON ANATOMICAL STRUCTURE OF THE DIGESTIVE TRACT SEGMENTS IN LAMBS', Journal of Animal and Poultry Production, 6(6), pp. 407-425. doi: 10.21608/jappmu.2015.52894
Abdel-Khalek, A., El-Harairy, M., Khalil, W., AbdulJabbar, N. EFFECT OF L-CARNITINE ADMINISTRATION ON ANATOMICAL STRUCTURE OF THE DIGESTIVE TRACT SEGMENTS IN LAMBS. Journal of Animal and Poultry Production, 2015; 6(6): 407-425. doi: 10.21608/jappmu.2015.52894
EFFECT OF L-CARNITINE ADMINISTRATION ON ANATOMICAL STRUCTURE OF THE DIGESTIVE TRACT SEGMENTS IN LAMBS
Animal Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Mansoura University, Egypt.
Abstract
This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of oral administration of L-carnitine (LC) on the anatomical characteristics of various segments of the digestive tract in growing lambs. This study was carried out at Animal Experimental Station, belonging to the Animal Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, MansouraUniversity, during the period from September to December 2014. A total of 9 Rahmani lambs (33.9±0.69 kg LBW and about 10 mo old) were assigned randomly into 3 groups according body weight. The three groups were assigned at random to receive 3 treatments. Animals in the 1st group (G1) were fed the control diet (14.5% CP and 10% CF). Lambs in the 2nd and 3rd groups were fed the same diet, but orally treated with LC at levels of 350 (G2) and 700 (G2) mg/h/d for 63 days as treatment period, respectively. Lambs were fed berseem hay (14.6% CP and 38% CF) and concentrate feed mixture (14.4% CP and 4.5% CF). Amount of feeds were adjusted every 2 weeks to reach 1.5 kg hay and 1.2 kg CFM at the end of the experimental period. At the end of the experimental period (63 d), lambs in each group were slaughtered after 12 h of fasting. The carcass was opened and the digestive tract was immediately removed. The digestive tract was tied starting from the esophagus up to the anus to cut off each segment. Full, empty and contents weights or volumes as well as intestinal measurements of each segment were recorded. Results showed that full weight of reticulo-rumen (RR), omasum (OM), abomasums (AB), cecum (CM), colon-rectum (CR), total stomach compartments (TSC) and total digestive tract (TDT) tended to be reduced as affected by LC. Full weight of small intestine (SI) was higher (P<0.05) in G1 than in G3, but those in G2 did not differ than in G1 or G3. Full weight of cecum relative to TDT was lower (P<0.05) in G2 than in G3, and both did not differ from G1. Empty weight of rumen was lower (P<0.05) in G3 than in G1 and G2. Empty weight relative to TDT for all segments was not affected by LC. Contents weight of OM and SI was lower (P<0.05) in G2 and G3 than in G1 by about 33 and 35% and 24 and 35%, respectively. Contents weight of CM relative to TDT was the highest (P<0.05) in G3, moderate in G1 and the lowest in G2. Full, empty and contents weights of RR, OM and AB relative to TSC were not affected by LC. Only full volume of SI and empty volume of OM and reduced in G3 (P<0.05) and G2 (P>0.05) compared with G1, while contents volume was not affected by LC. There were insignificant differences among groups in full and empty volumes of all segments relative to TDT, while contents volume of OM relative to TDT increased in G3 (P<0.05) and G2 (P<0.05). Full, empty and contents volumes of all segments relative to TDT were not affected by LC. Length of CM decreased (P<0.05), beside reduction (P>0.05) in SI and CR length and consequently in the total intestinal length. Length of SI increased (P<0.05) relative to total length of the intestinal segments. There were insignificant differences in circumference of intestinal segments.
It was concluded that L-carnitine treatment led to some changes in the anatomical structure of lambs, in terms of reducing weight or volume of tissues or contents in reticulo-rumen and small intestine.
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