Dietary administration of l-carnitine during the fattening period of early feed restricted lambs modifies lipid metabolism and meat quality.

Early feed restriction of lambs promotes a permanent mitochondrial dysfunction that impairs β-oxidation of fatty acids along the whole life. Therefore, dietary l-carnitine might help to improve the mitochondrial function of these lambs, thus modifying lipid metabolism and meat quality traits. In order to test this hypothesis an experiment was carried out with 22 Merino lambs that were subjected to an early feed restriction during the suckling period. Once weaned, the lambs were allocated to a control group (CTRL, n = 11) being fed ad libitum a complete pelleted diet during the fattening phase, whereas the second group (CARN, n = 11) received the same diet formulated with 3 g/kg of l-carnitine. Carcass characteristics were not affected (P > 0.05) by treatment. However, lambs fed l-carnitine showed higher amounts of intramuscular fat (26.5 vs. 33.6 g/kg fresh matter; P = 0.047) with a lower ratio between polyunsaturated and saturated fatty acids (0.425 vs 0.333; P = 0.023) and a higher atherogenic (0.507 vs 0.597; P < 0.001) and thrombogenic index (1.23 vs 1.42; P < 0.001). An increase in lightness (P < 0.05) and a tendency to improved oxidative stability in cooked meat (P = 0.066) were also observed in the CARN group. Consequently, dietary l-carnitine supplied during the fattening period of early feed restricted lambs modifies meat quality traits thus increasing lightness, oxidative stability and intramuscular fat content, but worsening the fatty acid profile.