Performance and carcass characteristics of broilers supplemented with L-Carnitine, Betaine, Sorbitol and Magnesium via drinking water

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1 Performance and carcass characteristics of broilers supplemented with L-Carnitine, Betaine, Sorbitol and Magnesium via drinking water Marika Ayecke-Thun and Vaida Sileikiene Lohmann Animal Health GmbH & Co.KG, Heinz-Lohmann Str. 4, D Cuxhaven, Germany Introduction Intensive commercial poultry production may generate a certain level of physiological (e.g., rapid growth), nutritional (e.g., feed transition), environmental (e.g., heat stress), physical stress (e.g., catching, transport) and disease stresses, which in turn results in a sub-optimal performance. One possible approach to maintaining performance and immune function is the adequate supply with certain nutrients. A positive effect of dietary sorbitol during immunological stress in broilers was reported by Takahashi et al. (2002). The authors assumed that during stressful conditions, such as vaccination or transportation, short term supply of sorbitol may be useful. Magnesium supplementation to the diet of chickens and pigs has benefits when fed at different periods of age and of production or prior to a situation causing stress to the animals (Kovacsne Gaal et al., 2004). There is also evidence that due to their biological role L-carnitine and betaine might have a positive effect on performance and carcass traits (Metzler-Zebeli et al., 2009; Eklund et al., 2005; Xu et al., 2003). However, information regarding the effects of betaine, carnitine, sorbitol and magnesium when these substances are supplemented via drinking water in addition to commercially available diets is scarce. In order to obtain more information, a field study was carried out with broilers using AviPro LC - Energy Liquid blend consisting of L-carnitine, betaine, sorbitol and magnesium sulphate supplemented via drinking water under field conditions.

2 Material and Methods Animals and housing Forty thousand one-day-old Ross 308 broilers of both sexes were used for a field trial carried out at Lohmann Broiler Farm (Uthlede, Germany) that contains two identical compartments (i.e., 850 m 2 per compartment). The broilers were vaccinated against Newcastle Disease Virus on day 8 of fattening, against Infectious Bronchitis Virus and Infectious Bursal Disease on day 15 of fattening. Light was given from day 0 of fattening to day 1 of fattening for 21 h, from day 2 to day 26 of fattening for 18 h, from day 27 to day 35 for 20 h. The temperature was gradually decreased from 30.6 C to 22.6 C. Experimental procedure At the beginning of the experiment the broilers were randomly divided into two equal groups (n=20,000) with and without AviPro LC - Energy Liquid supply. Both groups received ad libitum commercially available starter (12.4 MJ/kg; 21.6 % crude protein as feed basis), grower I (12.4 MJ/kg; 19.9 % crude protein as feed basis), grower II (12.9 MJ/kg; 20.6 % crude protein as feed basis) and finisher (13.1 MJ/kg; 19.4 % crude protein as feed basis). In addition, both groups were fed whole wheat and supplemented with vitamin/mineral via drinking water on day 3, 9, 21 of fattening. The experimental group (i.e., AviPro LC - Energy Liquid group ) received AviPro LC - Energy Liquid (25g/ml of L - carnitine, 50 mg/ml of betaine, 1.0 % of sorbitol and 2.5 % of magnesium sulphate) at a concentration of 0.2 % via drinking water on day 4, 5, 6 of fattening and on day 10 to 13, on day 16 to 20 of fattening, on day 24 of fattening to day 27 of fattening, on day 31 and 35 of fattening. Supplementation with AviPro LC - Energy Liquid was withdrawn when vitamins/ minerals/ drugs were applied via drinking water. Access to feed and drinking water was free. Sample collection and analytical procedure Data on body weight, feed and water intake at farm level were collected from fattening day 1 to day 36 using a farm computer system (FANCOM ). Total losses including farm losses and slaughterhouse losses were recorded. Final body weight (BW) was calculated on the basis of the data obtained at the slaughterhouse. FCR was calculated on the basis of farm and slaughterhouse data.

3 On day 30 of fattening (i.e., thinning day) and on day 36 of fattening (i.e., slaughtering day), respectively, 200 broilers per compartment were randomly selected for determination of carcass traits (e.g., yield of the abdominal fat, breast fillet). Results and discussion The results obtained has shown that AviPro LC - Energy Liquid blend consisting of L- carnitine, betaine, sorbitol and magnesium sulphate supplied via drinking water at an inclusion rate of 0.2 % in drinking water has a potential to improve broiler performance under field conditions. Up to 2.2 % increase in the final body weight of broilers was obtained in the AviPro LC - Energy Liquid group in comparison to the control group (Table 1). The FCR values were improved by up to 4.0 % in the group supplemented with AviPro LC - Energy Liquid in comparison to the control group (Table 1). However, the total animal losses were not affected by the treatment (Table 1). There are no comparable studies related to the usage of L-carnitine, betaine, sorbitol and magnesium sulphate mixture supplemented via drinking water in broilers. However, there is evidence that the weight gain was improved when poultry diets was supplemented with betaine (Eklund et al., 2005) or magnesium (Kovacsne Gaal et al., 2004). The number of studies on the effects of sorbitol on broiler performance is limited. Furuse et al. (1991) reported that dietary sorbitol has no effect on broiler performance. However, according to Takahashi et al. (2002) who studied the effect of dietary sorbitol during immunological stress in broilers, dietary sorbitol reduces early inflammatory responses and tended to prevent the reduction in growth caused by repeated injection of E. coli lipopolysaccharide and Sephadex. The authors speculated that under stressful conditions, such as vaccination or transportation, short term supply of sorbitol may be useful. Rabie et al. (1997) reported that dietary supplementation with L-carnitine resulted in improved body weight gain of broilers. An improved feed conversion rate was found by Rabie and Szilagyi (1998). In addition, Rabie et al. (1997) found a significant decrease in abdominal fat. However, in the present study treatment with AviPro LC - Energy Liquid failed to affect carcass traits with the exception of abdominal fat yield on day 30 of fattening. As showed in Table 2, the percentage of abdominal fat yield (0.30 % vs %, respectively) was higher in the AviPro LC - Energy Liquid group in comparison to the control group on 30 day of fattening. However, there were no differences in the percentage yield of breast fillet based on total breast yield (65.6 % vs %, respectively), yield of carcass (21.9 % vs %,

4 respectively) and in the percentage yield of skin based on total breast yield (8.4 % vs. 8.3 %, respectively) on comparing the control group to the AviPro LC - Energy Liquid group. There were also no effects of the treatment on the percentage of abdominal fat yield, yield of breast fillet, yield of carcass and skin on comparing the control group to the AviPro LC Energy group on day 36 of fattening. The results on effect of AviPro LC Energy Liquid carcass traits are summarised in Table 2. In conclusion, AviPro LC - Energy Liquid blend consisting of L-carnitine, betaine, sorbitol and magnesium sulphate at an inclusion rate of 0.2 % in drinking water had positive effect on performance data under field conditions. There was no clear effect on carcass traits. Consequently, future studies are warranted to clarify the possible effect of L-carnitine, betaine, sorbitol and magnesium sulphate on carcass traits. Table 1. Effect of AviPro LC - Energy Liquid blend supplemented via drinking water on broiler performance Item Control AviPro LC - Energy Liquid Final body weight, g FCR, kg/kg Total loses, %

5 Day 36 of fattening * abdominal fat yield, % EggMeat Symposia 2011 c-087 Table 2. Effect of AviPro LC - Energy Liquid blend supplemented via drinking water on broiler carcass traits Item Control AviPro LC - Energy Liquid Day 30 of fattening * abdominal fat yield, % Total breast yield, % yield of breast fillet, % yield of carcass, % yield of skin, % others, % Total breast yield, % yield of breast fillet, % yield of carcass, % yield of skin; % others, % * 200 broilers per compartment were randomly selected for determination of carcass traits Abstract In commercial production broilers are subjected to various types of stress (e.g. vaccination, disease challenge, etc.) which in turn may result in growth depression. One possible approach to maintaining performance and immune function is the adequate supply with certain nutrients. Therefore, the effect of AviPro LC-Energy blend consisting of L-carnitine, betaine, sorbitol and magnesium supplemented via drinking water was studied with regard to broiler performance under field conditions. Due to the biological role of L-carnitine and betaine, a positive effect on carcass traits was expected. At the start of the experiment, ROSS 308 one-day-old broilers (n=40,000) fed commercially available diets were randomly divided into two equal groups. The experimental group was supplemented with AviPro Liquid LC-Energy at an inclusion rate of 0.2% via drinking water on day 4 to 6 / 10 to 13 / 16 to 20 / 24 to 27 / 31 and 35 of the fattening period.

6 The study showed that AviPro Liquid LC-Energy blend consisting of L-carnitine, betaine, sorbitol and magnesium supplemented via drinking water increased the final BW by 2.2%. The FCR values were improved by 4.0% in the experimental group in comparison to the control group. In order to obtain clear results on carcass traits (i.e., breast meat yield, abdominal fat, etc.) further trials would be needed. Keywords: Broiler, carcass, drinking water, L-Carnitine, Betaine References EKLUND, M., BAUER, E., WAMATU, J. and MOSENTHIN, R. (2005) Potential nutritional and physiological functions of betaine in livestock. Nutrition Research Reviews, 18, FURUSE, M., ISHII, T., MIYAGAWA, S., NAKAGAWA, J., SHIMIZU, T. and OKUMURA, J. (1991) Effect of dietary sorbitol on the performance of broilers. British Poultry Science, 32, KOVACSNE GAAL, K., SAFAR, O., GULYAS, L. and STADLER, P. (2004) Magnesium in Animal Nutrition. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 23(6), 754S- 757S METZLER-ZEBELI, B.U., EKLUND, M. and MOSENTHIN, R. (2009) Impact of osmoregulatory and methyl donor functions of betaine on intestinal health and performance in poultry. World's Poultry Science Journal, 65, RABIE, M. H., SZILAGYI, M, GIPPERT, T., VOTISKY, E. and GERENDAI, D. (1997) Influence of dietary L-carnitine on performance and carcass quality of broiler chickens. Acta Biologica Hungarica, 48(2), RABIE, M. H. and SZILAGYI, M. (1998) Effects of L-carnitine supplementation of diets differing in energy levels on performance, abdominal fat content, and yield and composition of edible meat of broilers. British Journal of Nutrition, 80, XU, I. M., WANG, Q., MAO, H. X., ZHAN, X. A. and HU, C. H. (2003) Effects of L- carnitine on growth performance, carcass composition, and metabolism of lipids in male broilers. Poultry Science, 82,