L-Citrulline: A novel hypothermic amino acid promoting thermotolerance in heat-exposed chickens

With global warming becoming of increasing concern, poultry farms are experiencing a concomitant increase in heat stress. Chickens are very sensitive to high ambient temperature (HT), so the development of novel nutrients that will help deal with the challenge posed by heat stress is vital. We revealed that L-citrulline (L-Cit) can reduce body temperature in chickens. Orally administered L-Cit solution has been found to provide heat tolerance in chickens and to result in reduced food intake. Heat exposure and oral administration of L-Cit led to increased levels of plasma insulin, whereas heat stress led to a decline in plasma thyroxine. Dietary administration of L-Cit was also shown to be effective to reduce heat stress in broiler chickens. Moreover, L-Cit was found to be metabolized in the liver within 1 h of its administration, and in L-Cit-treated broiler chicks, the Cit-Arginine cycle and the Krebs cycle were found to be active. L-Cit has not yet been approved for inclusion in the poultry diet, so it is important to find alternative sources of L-Cit. Taken together, these findings suggest that L-Cit may serve as an important novel nutrient with the ability to produce heat tolerance in chickens under HT.