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Additive effects of L-carnitine and chromium picolinate on sow reproductive performance

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Dietary carnitine and chromium supplementation may increase farrowing rate and thus total number born alive
17 December 2009
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It has been reported that dietary L-carnitine fed during gestation and lactation increases the number of pigs born live, number of pigs weaned, and litter weight gain. Chromium is a trace mineral that is actively involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids in the body. Chromium potentiates insulin action resulting in increased cellular uptake of glucose and improved intracellular carbohydrate and lipid metabolism.

A total of 599 sows were used to determine the effects of added L-carnitine with or without chromium picolinate on reproductive performance. Experimental treatments were arranged in a 2×2 factorial with main effects of added L-carnitine and chromium picolinate. Starting on the first day of breeding, sows were provided a daily top dress containing the carnitine with or without chromium along with the standard gestation or lactation diet. The top dress was formulated to provide 90 mg/d and 250 mg/d of L-carnitine in gestation and lactation, respectively. Chromium from chromium picolinate was provided at 360 μg/d and 1000 µg/d during gestation and lactation, respectively. These inclusions were calculated to provide 50 mg/kg of carnitine and 200 µg/kg of chromium when sows were fed 1.8 kg/d of the gestation diet and an estimated 5.0 kg/d of the lactation diet (actual lactation feed intake was not recorded). Dietary treatments were administered daily through the initial gestation and lactation (parity 1), and a second gestation period (parity 2). At farrowing all pigs were cross-fostered across dietary treatments.

During the first parity, there was a carnitine x chromium interaction (P<0.01) for first service farrowing rate. Added dietary chromium increased (P<0.01) first service farrowing rate, but there was no further increase when carnitine was added. No differences (P>0.05) were observed in number of pigs born alive, stillborn, mummies, or total born in the first or second parity. Added dietary L-carnitine decreased (P<0.05) wean to oestrus interval, and tended to increase (P<0.08) the number of sows in oestrus by d 7. In the second parity, supplementing both carnitine and chromium tended to improve (carnitine x chromium interaction, P<0.08) farrowing rate. Based on all sows that started on test, for the two-parity period both added carnitine and chromium increased (P<0.01) the number of pigs born and born alive.

It is concluded that carnitine and chromium supplementation additively increased farrowing rate and thus total number born alive over two parities.

DE Real, JL Nelssen, MD Tokach, RD Goodband , SS Dritz, JC Woodworth, KQ Owen. 2008. Livestock Science. 116:63-69.

Article Comments

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02-Apr-2011james ignacio l. syjames ignacio l. syI would like to know if there is an increase of milk during lactating if we put L. Carnitine & Chromium Picolinate in lactating feeds
11-Apr-2011pig333pig333Hi James, the references you asked for are:

Effects of L-carnitine supplementation on milk production, litter gains and back-fat thickness in sows with a low energy and protein intake during lactation. British Journal of Nutrition (2005), 93, 717–721

Influence of L-carnitine on metabolism and performance of sows. British Journal of Nutrition (2009), 102, 645–654

Effects of L-carnitine supplementation in pregnant sows on plasma concentrations of insulin-like growth factors, various hormones and metabolites and chorion characteristics. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition 90 (2006) 487–499

l-Carnitine supplementation during suckling intensifies the early postnatal skeletal myofiber formation in piglets of low birth weight. J. Anim. Sci. 2009. 87:2216–2226

E ects of L-Carnitine Supplementation 1 week prior to Farrowing and during Lactation on Its Concentration in Milk, Return of Estrus and Growth Performance of Piglets. Jpn. J. Swine Science, 45,1, 1-9

Effects of dietary supplementation of L-carnitine on the reproductive performance of sows in production stocks. Livestock Science 113 (2008) 34–42
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