The effect of lipotropic agents on the nutritional induction of fatty liver syndrome in broilers

One of the major metabolic disorders in poultry industry is the incidence of fatty deposits in the hepatic tissue. The high-energy diets are accompanied with fatty liver and damaging effect on the hepatic tissue. This study hypothesized that the application of lipotropic agents may help broiler chicks to efficiently utilize the high-energy diets. A total of 100-day-old broiler chicks were randomly divided into five equal groups; negative control, positive control (fed on high-energy diet), and three groups fed on high-energy diet with supplemental lipotropic agents (100 mg/kg b.wt. carnitine as l-carnitine or 1000 mg/kg b.wt. choline as choline chloride or combination of both). Average body weight (BW) and daily weight gain (BWG) were recorded during the 42-day experimental period. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, beside the serum level of total protein, albumin, globulin and A/G ratio, lipogram, and histopathological examination were carried out. The BW and BWG were decreased with an increase in ALT and ALP activity in the positive control group. Proteinogram was not affected; meanwhile, a significant increase in triglyceride (TG) was observed. Dietary supplementation of these lipotropic agents (carnitine and choline) improved all these parameters. Choline and carnitine co-treatment showed better effect than each one individually. Our histopathological examination confirms the results. Interestingly, the modulation of lipotropic agents for co-administration considers a new mechanism with a pathway key to overcome on hepatic fat accumulation.