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The Effect of In Ovo Injection of L-Carnitine on Hatchability of White Leghorns¹

Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907

² Corresponding author: phester{at}purdue.edu

Two experiments were conducted to determine if L-carnitine injected in ovo affected hatchability. Eggs of experiment 1 were injected with sterilized saline (0.85%) or L-carnitine (0.25, 0.50, 1.00, or 2.00 µmol dissolved in saline). An additional group of eggs served as noninjected controls. Hatchabilities were unaffected by treatment (94% for noninjected controls; 94% for saline injected eggs; and 87, 87, 88, and 88% for eggs injected with 0.25, 0.50, 1.00, or 2.00 µmol of L-carnitine, respectively; SEM = 1). Yolk sac weights retrieved from hatchings that were subjected to 0, 0.25, or 0.50 µmol of L-carnitine as embryos through in ovo injection were 3.9, 3.8, and 3.6 g, respectively (SEM = 0.1, P = 0.71). Eggs used in experiment 2 were injected with a wider dosimetry of L-carnitine. Fertile eggs were injected with sterilized saline (0.85%) or L-carnitine (0.05, 0.5, 5, or 10 µmol dissolved in saline). An additional group of eggs served as noninjected controls. Chick BW and % hatch were unaffected by treatment (76% for noninjected controls; 74% for saline injected eggs; and 77, 77, 68, and 76% for eggs injected with 0.05, 0.5, 5, or 10 µmol of L-carnitine, respectively; SEM = 3). In ovo injection of L-carnitine into fertile chicken eggs at 17 or 18 d of incubation did not affect hatchability, yolk sac weight, or BW.

Key Words: L-carnitine • in ovo injection • hatchability • embryo • White Leghorn

¹ Journal paper No. 2007-18170 of the Purdue University Agricultural Research Programs, West Lafayette, IN 47907.

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				W. Zhai, S. L. Neuman, M. A. Latour, and P. Y. Hester The Effect of Male and Female Supplementation of L-Carnitine on Reproductive Traits of White Leghorns Poult. Sci., June 1, 2008; 87(6): 1171 - 1181. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]