Effect of L-carnitine supplementation on performance parameters in gilts and sows

The effect of L-carnitine supplementation during pregnancy and lactation on performance parameters of sows was studied. The trial comprised a total of 127 sows (40 gilts, 87 mature sows) which were divided into a control and a treatment group. All animals were fed individually and received basic feed mixtures for pregnancy and lactation with low carnitine concentrations (gestation diet: 4.7 mg/kg feed, lactation diet: 12.5 mg/kg feed). The rations of the sows in the treated group were supplemented with 125 mg L-carnitine per head and day during pregnancy and 250 mg L-carnitine per head and day during lactation. The animals of the control group received identical feed mixtures in identical amounts, but without the L-carnitine supplement. L-carnitine supplementation resulted in higher sow liveweight gains between day 1 and day 85 of pregnancy. The number of piglets per litter and the number born alive did not differ between the control sows and those treated with L-carnitine. However, the L-carnitine-supplemented sows produced only half as many non-viable piglets as the control animals. Moreover, litter weight and mean birth weight of piglets from L-carnitine-treated sows were higher than in the control sows. This effect was more marked in gilts (+8% higher litter weight, +9% higher piglet weight) than in sows (+7% and +6%, respectively). Piglets from sows whose ration was supplemented with L-carnitine showed higher liveweight gains during the suckling period (+12% for gilts, +4% for sows), which is why litter weights post weaning were also higher among the sows treated with L-carnitine than in the control sows (+14% for gilts, +10% for sows). Overall, the study shows that dietary supplementation with L-carnitine during pregnancy and lactation improves the reproductive performance of sows.