title: Effects of dietary supplementation with L-carnitine and fat on blood acid-base responses to handling in slaughter weight pigs.
abstract: Blood acid-base responses to handling were evaluated in slaughter weight pigs fed diets supplemented with l-carnitine and fat. The study was carried out as a randomized block design with a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments: 1) dietary L-carnitine supplementation (0 vs. 150 ppm, as-fed basis); and 2) dietary fat supplementation (0 vs. 5%, as-fed basis). Sixty pigs (91.1 +/- 5.14 kg BW) were housed in mixed-gender groups of five and had ad libitum access to test diets (0.68% true ileal digestible lysine, 3,340 kcal of ME/kg, as-fed basis) for 3 wk. At the end of the feeding period (110.3 +/- 7.52 kg BW), pigs were subjected to a standard handling procedure, which consisted of moving individual animals through a facility (12.2 m long x 0.91 m wide) for eight laps (up and down the facility), using electric prods (two times per lap). There was no interaction between dietary L-carnitine and fat supplementation for any measurement. Pigs fed 150 ppm of supplemental L-carnitine had lower baseline blood glucose (P < 0.05) and higher baseline blood lactate (P < 0.05) concentrations than the nonsupplemented pigs. After handling, pigs fed L-carnitine-supplemented diets had a higher (P < 0.05) blood pH and showed a smaller (P < 0.05) decrease in blood pH and base excess than those fed the nonsupplemental diets. Baseline plasma FFA concentrations were higher (P < 0.01) in pigs fed the 5% fat diet. After the handling procedure, blood glucose, lactate, and plasma FFA were higher (P < 0.05) in pigs fed the 5 vs. 0% fat diets, but blood pH, bicarbonate, and base excess were not affected by dietary fat. The handling procedure decreased (P < 0.01) blood pH, bicarbonate, base excess, and total carbon dioxide and increased (P < 0.01) blood lactate, partial pressure of oxygen, and glucose, and also increased (P < 0.01) rectal temperature. Free fatty acid concentrations were increased by handling in pigs fed both 0 and 5% fat and 150 ppm L-carnitine. In conclusion, dietary L-carnitine supplementation at the level and for the feeding period evaluated in the current study had a relatively small but positive effect on decreasing blood pH changes in finishing pigs submitted to handling stress; however, dietary fat supplementation had little effect on blood acid-base balance.
authors.affiliation: Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuaria, 89700-000, Concordia, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Bertol
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.forename: E W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Ritter
mesh_terms: D000136:Acid-Base Equilibrium / Q000187:drug effects*; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D001769:Blood / Q000187:drug effects; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000662:veterinary; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis / Q000662:veterinary; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002331:Carnitine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006234:Handling, Psychological; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000592:standards; D011897:Random Allocation; D013552:Swine / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats; D002331:Carnitine