Effect of adding different levels of L - Carnitine to diet on fertility and hatchability traits of guinea fowls

Abstract

This study was conducted at the Poultry Farm of Department of Animal Resource, College of Agriculture, University of Baghdad during the period from 15 / 2 / 2011 to 1 / 8 / 2011. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation with different levels of carnitine on fertility and hatchbility of guinea fowl.A total of 42 guinea fowl male, 30 weeks of old were used in this study. Birds were randomly distributed into 4 treatment groups (C0, C100, C200, C300) which is added to the diets carnitine levels 0, 100, 200, 300 mg Carnitine / kg diet. Birds were fed during the whole period of birds rearing which lasted 22 weeks on diet contain 18.38 % crude protein and 2962.1 Kcal metabolic energy / Kg. L-carnitine was added to the diets of birds at the beginning of 34 weeks of birds age till the end of experiment which lasted 18 weeks including 2 weeks which considered as preliminary carnitine treatment period. Guinea fowl were reared during experimental period in separated cages.The resulted Showed significant improvement (P<0.05) or (P<0.01) in fertility and hatchability guinea fowls.Conclude from this study that the addition of Carnitine to the diets of Guinea fowl is leads to improved productive and reproductive performance in guinea fowl male