Effects of chitosan oligosaccharides and L-carnitine individually or concurrent supplementation for diets on growth performance, carcass traits and serum composition of broiler chickens

This study was conducted to determine effects of dietary indivudually or dually supplementation of chitosan oligosacchacarides (COS) and L-carnitine to diet on growth performance, carcass traits and serum compositions of broiler chickens. A total of 320-day old broiler chicks were used in the study, and the chicks were divided into the following 4 main groups: Basal diet (control); basal diet+100 mg/kg COS (COS); basal diet+100 mg/kg L-carnitine (carnitine); and basal diet+100 mg/kg COS+100 mg/kg L-carnitine (COS+carnitine). Additionally, each of the main groups was divided into 4 subgroups of 20 chickens each. The study lasted for d 42. There were no differences on body weight, feed intake and feed convertion of birds overall the study. There were no differences on slaughter body weight, carcass weight, carcass ratio and breast, leg and wing ratio to carcass weight. Abdominal fat percentage in COS, carnitine and COS+carnitine was lower than the control group. Liver relative weight in COS and control group was higher than carnitine and COS+carnitine group. Total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, LDL, VLDL, total protein and albumin concentrations were not differ among groups. In conclusion, COS, carnitine and COS+carnitine supplementation to broiler diets did not affect growth performance, carcass traits and serum parameters, while carnitine and COS+carnitine can be use due to decreased abdominal fat and liver ratio in broilers.