Chatzifotis, S., T. Takeuchi, T. Seikai-1996
Aquaculture, 147:235-248
Abstract:
The effect of dietary carnitine supplementation (2 g/kg diet) on growth, proximate, neutral lipid and fatty acid composition of liver and muscle of red sea bream fingerlings at two levels of dietary lysine (10 and 14 g/kg diet, respectively) was investigated. Carnitine increased red sea bream growth fed a 14 g lysine/kg diet (P < 0.05) but did not cause any effect on growth in fish fed the 10 g lysine/kg diet. A clear lysine sparing effect of carnitine in red sea bream was not observed. Carnitine did not reduce crude lipid levels in white muscle and liver of fish. Fatty acid composition of total lipids in liver showed reduced values for eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and total long-chain fatty acids with 20 to 24 carbon atoms ((C20-24) in fish receiving carnitine supplemented diets indicating an increased utilization of the above fatty acids. Free carnitine and acid-soluble carnitine in muscle increased two-fold after carnitine administration.
(Department of Aquatic Biosciences, Tokyo University of Fisheries, Konan 4, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108, Japan)
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