Abstract
The present study was aimed to investigate the change in serum L-carnitine (LC) concentrations in piglets with their growth process to estimate its endogenous synthesis potentiality. For data processing, used pigs were classified into three groups based on the mean days-old of 200 (n=60 heads), 300(n=53 heads), and 600(n=61 heads). The data obtained in this study were evaluated in comparison with available data extracted from eight literatures. The serum LC level of newborn piglets made a small increase during colostrum sucking period followed by a clear peak out, suggesting that this change in serum LC level was affected by breast composition change. This change in the serum LC level of piglets showed an apparent synchronization with the change in that of sows. The once fallen serum LC level of piglets gave a gradual increase with their growth process after that time which may derived from the development of organs responsible for LC biosynthesis. In the current experiment, some piglets showed a conspicuous low level of serum LC, suggesting that for a certain number of piglets with a weak endogenous LC synthesis existing in the population of piglets, particular LC supplementation should be considered to complement the insufficient status.
