Effect of Supplementing Male Guinea Fowls Diet with Different Levels of L - Carnitine on the Characteristics of their Semen

(Walid Khaled Hayani and Hazim Jabbar Darraji)

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Abstract

Carnitine is a regulatory amino acid, necessary for the metabolism of long-chain fatty acids in the &223; - oxidation, and it is important in the organization of the work of the blood brain barrier, and is very important in the treatment of infertility and sexual apathy. This study was conducted at the Poultry Farm of the 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 L &8211; carnitin e on semen characteristics of guinea fowl male. A total of 24 guinea fowl male, 30 weeks of old were used in this study. Birds were randomly distributed into 4 groups (C0, C100, C200, C300). These groups were fed by four levels of carnitine 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 17.77 % crude protein and 2933.8 Kcal metabolic energy / Kg. L-carnitine was added to the diets of birds at the beginning of 34 weeks of birds&8217; age till the end of experiment which lasted 18 weeks including 2 weeks as preliminary carnitine treatment period. Guinea fowl were reared during experimental period in separated cages. The results showed significant improvement (P<0.05) or (P<0.01) in ejaculate volume, mass motility, individual, sperm concentration, percentage of dead spermatozoa and abnormal spermatozoa, spermatocrit, acrosomal abnormalities and semen quality factor. It is concluded from this study that the addition of carnitine to the diets of guinea fowl has led to improve semen characteristics of guinea fowl male. Key Words: Carnitine, guinea fowl, semen quality.
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