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Effect of Betaine Supplementation to Methionine-deficient Diet on Growth Performance, Carcass Characteristics, Blood Parameters and Economic Efficiency of Broilers

Background: Betaine is a protein found in shellfish, spinach and wheat bran. Betaine’s main physiological function is to act as a methyl donor and an osmolyte. Betaine also functions as an osmolyte, ensuring that the avian’s cellular water and ion balance are maintained. It may protect a variety of intestinal bacteria against osmotic changes resulting in increased microbial fermentation activity. Adding betaine to chicken diets has been shown to improve nutritional digestibility and lower abdominal fat weight. Methods: A total of two hundred and seventy day-old commercial broiler chicks were randomly allotted to nine treatments of six equal replicates with 5 chicks each (9 x 6 x 5=270). Nine experimental isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets consisting of a control diet (CD), 25% and 50% methionine deficient diet and with graded levels of betaine (0.1, 0.2 and 0.3% levels) were formulated and fed to chicks from 1 to 42 days of age. Result: The results of the study revealed that supplementation of betaine to broiler diets deficient in methionine at 25% and 50% resulted in better performance with (p less than 0.05) higher body weight gain and better FCR, higher percentages of livability, carcass yield, total edible parts, breast yield and breast meat while those of heart and abdominal fat were decreased but relative weights of giblets, liver and gizzard were not affected compared with their control counterparts. Betaine supplementation resulted in increased immunity against ND, better tolerance to oxidative stress and better net profit over feed cost of broilers at 42 days of age.
