The effect of L-carnitine on lamb performance and main carcass traits

29 kg liveweight total 30 male Merino X Kıvırcık crossbred (F₁) lambs were used in this experiment. They were separated one control group and two treatment groups each containing 10 lambs. The experiment lasted 45 days. The lambs in the control and treatment groups were fed on compound feed without or with L-carnitine 100 or 200 mg daily.

Mean daily live weight gain and cumulative feed intake for one kg live weight gain of the control and treatment groups were found 270, 265 and 268 g., and 6.80, 7.25 and 6.68 kg, respectively. There were no significant differences for mean daily live weight gain and feed intake for one kg live weight gain among the groups. Dressing percentage for the groups were calculated 46.56, 49.67 and 49.95 percent, respectively. The observed differences for dressing percentage among the groups were found significant (P<0.05)

As a conclusion; supplementing L-Carnitine in the compound feed was not improved lamb performance. Dresssing percentage increased statistically with increasing carnitine supplementation in the compound feed. Keywords : Lamb, L-Carnitine, Performance