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Effect of dietary l ‐carnitine supplementation and energy level on oxidant/antioxidant balance in laying hens subjected to high stocking density
Author(s) -
Çetin Ebru,
Güçlü Berrin Kocaoğlu
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.651
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1439-0396
pISSN - 0931-2439
DOI - 10.1111/jpn.13210
Subject(s) - stocking , superoxide dismutase , malondialdehyde , zoology , antioxidant , carnitine , catalase , chemistry , biology , endocrinology , biochemistry
This study aimed to investigate the effect of l ‐carnitine and energy level and on oxidant/antioxidant balance in laying hens subjected to high stocking density. A total of 176, 32‐week‐old laying hens were assigned to eight groups with four replicates and hens in four groups were placed at the normal stocking densities of 500 cm 2 /hen (four hens per cage) and in the remaining four groups were placed at the high stocking densities of 287.5 cm 2 /hen (seven hens per cage). Hens received diets of high (2,850 kcal/kg ME) or normal (2,650 kcal/kg ME) energy which are supplemented with 0 or 200 mg/kg l ‐carnitine for 70 days. Results showed that exposure to high stocking density increased ( p < .05) plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) levels and decreased ( p < .05) erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (GPx) activities. l ‐carnitine supplementation increased ( p < .05) erythrocyte SOD, CAT and GPx activities, and decreased ( p <.05) MDA and NO level in high stocking densities. The oxidan/antioxidan balance of birds was not influenced by increasing dietary energy level. The results of the present study indicate that the supplementation of l ‐carnitine to the birds subjected to high stocking density could effectively reverse the negative effects of high stocking density by improving oxidant/antioxidant balance. Therefore, l ‐carnitine supplementation at level of 200 mg/kg to diet may be as a favourable alternative to deal with oxidative stress caused by high stocking density in laying hens.