Effect of adding L-carnitine and methionine on growth performance, carcass traits, blood metabolites, and tibia characteristics in broiler chickens

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Article (Regular Paper)

Authors

Department of animal science, faculty of agriculture, university of jiroft

Abstract

This study examined the interactive effects of dietary L-carnitine and methionine (Met) supplementation on growth performance, carcass characteristics, serum biochemical parameters, and tibial bone properties in broiler chickens. A total of 144 one-day-old Ross 308 male broiler chicks was distributed among four experimental treatments, with four replicates of nine birds each. Dietary treatments included two levels of L-carnitine (0 and 250 mg/kg of diet) and Met (Ross recommendation, 2014) and Met at 20% above Ross recommendation (H-Met), as a 2×2 factorial arrangement. Growth performance parameters, including feed intake (FI), body weight gain (BWG), and feed conversion ratio (FCR), were determined at the end of each rearing phase (d 1–10, 11–25, and 26–42); at d 42, two birds per replicate, nearest to the pen mean body weight, were designated for blood collection, carcass assessment, and tibial bone characterization. The results revealed that L-carnitine supplementation enhanced BWG, relative carcass and breast weights, and tibial dry weight, length, and breaking strength, as well as serum total protein and albumin concentrations, while concurrently reducing FI, FCR, abdominal fat deposition, and serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels (P≤0.05). Birds allocated to the H-Met treatment exhibited the greatest BWG, relative carcass and breast weights, tibial breaking strength, and serum total protein and albumin, alongside the lowest FCR and abdominal fat proportion (P≤0.05). Overall, these findings highlighted the synergistic effects of L-carnitine and H-Met on enhancing metabolic health and production efficiency in broilers.

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References

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Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 04 August 2026

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