Inefficacy of carnitine as a substitute for choline for normal reproduction in Japanese quail.
An experiment was conducted to determine if DL-carnitine could partially or completely substitute for choline for maintaining normal reproduction in Japanese quail. Adding 2800 mg. choline chloride per kg. to a purified diet significantly increased egg production and egg weight and improved hatchability, but adding a similar level of carnitine failed to improve any of the parameters measured. Likewise, performance of quail fed 1400 mg. carnitine per kg. in combination with 1400 mg. choline chloride was no better than that obtained with quail fed choline chloride (1400 mg./kg.) alone.
D000818:Animals; D002331:Carnitine / Q000378:metabolism*; D002794:Choline / Q000378:metabolism*; D003370:Coturnix / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D004531:Eggs; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D008297:Male; D011784:Quail / Q000502:physiology*; D012098:Reproduction
D002794:Choline; D002331:Carnitine