The Effects of Dietary L-Carnitine Supplementation on Semen Traits, Reproductive Parameters, and Testicular Histology of Japanese Quail Breeders

摘要

The present study was conducted to determine the effects of supplemental dietary i.-carnitine at different levels on semen traits, reproductive parameters, and testicular histology in male Japanese quail breeders. Forty-five 5-wk-old male Japanese quail breeders were fed the same basal diet that was supplemented with 0 (control), 250, or 500 mg of L-carnitine/kg of diet. There were no significant effects of dietary L-carnitine supplementation at different levels on BW, feed intake, testes weight, fertility rate, hatchability rate of set and fertile eggs, and malonaldehyde production (ugiL of semen) of male Japanese quail breeders. However, the supplementation of dietary L-carnitine at levels of 250 or 500 mg/kg to a basal diet significantly increased sperm viability and decreased multinucleated giant cells per testes in mature male Japanese quail breeders. Additional studies are required to explore the antioxidant role that L-carnitine has in Japanese quail breeders.