Abstract
The current study was designed to assess the impact of L-carnitine (LC) supplementation in the drinking water of growing Alexandria-line rabbits on performance and physiological parameters. Two hundred eighty-eight 35-day-old rabbits were divided into four groups of twenty-four replicates each (seventy-two rabbits/treatment). The treatment groups were a control group without LC and three groups receiving 0.5, 1, and 1.5 g/L LC in the drinking water intermittently. The results showed that the group receiving 0.5 g LC/L exhibited significant improvements in final body weight, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, and performance index compared to the other groups. The feed intake remained unaffected except for the 1.5 g LC/L group, which had significantly decreased intake. Hematological parameters improved in all supplemented groups. Compared with those in the control group, the 0.5 g LC/L group showed significant increases in serum total protein and high-density lipoprotein, along with decreased cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein. Compared to other supplemented groups, this group also demonstrated superior carcass traits (carcass, dressing, giblets, and percentage of nonedible parts). In conclusion, intermittent supplementation of LC in the drinking water, particularly at 0.5 g/L twice a week, positively influenced the productivity, hematology, serum lipid profile, and carcass traits of Alexandria-line growing rabbits at 84 days of age.