Influence of l-carnitine on metabolism and performance of sows

Abstract

In recent years, L-carnitine has been used increasingly as a supplement in livestock animals. The present review gives an overview of the effects of dietary L-carnitine supplementation on the reproductive performance of sows. Results concerning the effect of L-carnitine supplementation during pregnancy on litter sizes are controversial. There are some studies reporting an increased number of piglets born alive per litter, while others could not find such an effect. In contrast, most studies performed show consistently that L-carnitine supplementation to a sow diet low in native carnitine during gestation increases piglet and litter weights at birth and enhances growth of litters during the suckling period. Biochemical mechanisms underlying the favourable effect of carnitine on intra-uterine growth have not been fully elucidated. There is, however, some evidence that carnitine influences the insulin-like growth factor-axis in sows and leads to greater placentae, which in turn improves intra-uterine nutrition, and stimulates oxidation of glucose in the fetuses. These effects may, at least in part, be responsible for higher birth weights of piglets. The stimulating effect of carnitine on growth of the litters might be due to an improved suckling behaviour of piglets born to L-carnitine-supplemented sows, causing the sows' milk production to rise. In conclusion, recent studies have clearly shown that dietary L-carnitine supplementation increases the reproductive performance of sows. These findings suggest that endogenous de novo synthesis of carnitine is insufficient to meet the metabolic requirement of sows during gestation.

Genes involved in carnitine synthesis and carnitine uptake are up-regulated in the liver of sows during lactation

“…It has been assumed that these effects of carnitine were mediated by influencing the secretion of IGF-1 and insulin and by an increased intrauterine nutrition of fetuses [24,25,28]. In contrast, supplementation of carnitine during lactation had less effects on sow and litter performance [22,24].…”

The metabolic regulation of dietary L‐carnitine in aquaculture nutrition: present status and future research strategies

“…). In these animals, L‐carnitine improve reproductive performance by mobilizing more energy from different tissues such as adipose tissues (Eder ).…”

“…, ), most previous reviews have mainly concentrated on application and dosage of L‐carnitine in aquatic animal diets (Liu & Zhu ; Harpaz ; Ozório ; Li ). Previous reviews in vertebrates have indicated indispensable functions of L‐carnitine in intermediary energy metabolism in sows (Eder ), pigs (Li & Li ), dogs (Dove ), humans (Venkataraman ; Pekala et al . ; Vidal‐Casariego et al .…”

Einfluss des endogenen Carnitingehalts von Blutplasma und Blutlymphozyten auf die Reproduktionsleistung von Muttersauen

“…Eder (5) beschreibt in seinem Übersichtsartikel den Einfluss von Carnitin auf den Stoffwechsel und die Leistung von Sauen. Die festgestellten positiven Effekte von Carnitin auf die Zahl der lebend geborenen Ferkel pro Wurf und damit auch auf die Totgeburtenrate, auf die Geburtslebendmasse sowie auf die Zunahmen in der Säugezeit beruhen jedoch in allen Untersuchungen auf einer Carnitinsupplementierung des Futters tragender und/oder laktierender Sauen.…”