1. Antioxidant and methyl donor effects of betaine in experimental animal models have recently been demonstrated. The present study was therefore designed to examine the antioxidant effects of betaine on the antioxidant status and meat quality of breast muscles in broilers. 2. Cobb broilers were randomly divided into Control, Methionine low, Methionine low plus betaine, and Betaine groups. 3. The activity of the main antioxidant enzyme (glutathione peroxidase) in the Betaine and the Methionine low plus betaine groups significantly increased compared to the Methionine low and Control groups. Catalase and superoxide dismutase activities were significantly higher in the Betaine group compared to the Methionine low group, and lipid peroxidation was significantly higher in the Control and the Methionine low groups. 4. The present study indicates that adding betaine (1 g/kg) to a diet deficient in methionine can significantly improve antioxidant defences and meat quality, decreasing lipid peroxidation in the breast muscles of broiler chickens.

https://lu.ac.ir/usersfiles/184773088-Betaine%20a%20promising%20antioxidant%20agent%20for.pdf

Betaine: a promising antioxidant agent for enhancement of broiler meat quality

Effect of coccidia challenge and natural betaine supplementation on performance, nutrient utilization, and intestinal lesion scores of broiler chickens fed suboptimal level of dietary methionine

Heat stress (HS) causes oxidative stress, which compromises broiler performance and meat quality. The aim of this study was to determine whether dietary antioxidants could be used as an amelioration strategy. Seventy-two day-old-male Ross-308 chicks were exposed to either thermoneutral or cyclical heat stress conditions. Diets were either control commercial diet (CON), CON plus betaine (BET), or with a combination of betaine, selenized yeast, and vitamin E (BET + AOX). Heat stress increased the rectal temperature (p < 0.001), respiration rate (p < 0.001), decreased blood pCO2 (p = 0.002), and increased blood pH (p = 0.02), which indicated the HS broilers had respiratory alkalosis. Final body weight was decreased by HS (p < 0.001), whereas it was improved with BET (p = 0.05). Heat stress reduced cooking loss (p = 0.007) and no effect on drip loss, while BET decreased the drip loss (p = 0.01). Heat stress reduced the myofibril fragmentation index (p < 0.001) and increased thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (p < 0.001), while these were improved with the combination of BET + AOX (p = 0.003). In conclusion, BET overall improved growth rates and product quality in this small university study, whereas some additional benefits were provided by AOX on product quality in both TN and HS broilers.

https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/8/9/336/pdf

Growth Performance and Characterization of Meat Quality of Broiler Chickens Supplemented with Betaine and Antioxidants under Cyclic Heat Stress.

Varying the ratio of Lys:Met while maintaining the ratios of Thr:Phe, Lys:Thr, Lys:His, and Lys:Val alters mammary cellular metabolites, mammalian target of rapamycin signaling, and gene transcription.

Naila Chand1,*, Shabana Naz2, Hamza Maris1, Rifat Ullhah Khan1, Sarzamin Khan1 and Muhammad Subhan Qureshi1 1Faculty of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan 2Department of Zoology, GC University, Faisalabad, Pakistan Article Information Received 24 February 2017 Revised 24 March 2017 Accepted 31 March 2017 Available online 20 September 2017

Effect of betaine supplementation on the performance and immune response of heat stressed broilers.

Problem Statement: The efficacy of Methionine (Met) sparing effect of Betaine (BET) has been shown to be associated with dietary compositions, animal physiological stage and living conditions. This study was to determine the extent to which dietary Met could be replaced by BET in broiler chickens under the feeding conditions specific to Chinese poultry industry.Approach: A total of 900 day-old Arbor Acres broiler chicks were fed three corn-soybean meal-based starter rations (d 1-21) and grower rations (d 22-42) for a total of 42 days. Met levels in the diets were: Diet 1, Met content at the recommended level (Control); diet 2, Met level at 85% of the Control supplemented with BET at the level of 400 (starter) or 300 (grower) mg kg-1 DM; Diet 3, Met level at 75% of the Control supplemented with BET at the level of 600 (starter) or 500 (grower) mg khg-1 DM. The broilers were raised in a temperature controlled house with 3 pens (replicates) per dietary treatment. Results: In general, treatment had no effect on body weight, feed intake or feed efficiency. Concentrations of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1 in the serum of broilers fed Diet 3 were higher (p<0.05) than that of broilers of other treatments. Supplementation of BET at the level of replacing 25% of total Met increased (p<0.05) breast meat yield and protein content of breast meat and liver, but decreased (p<0.05) abdominal fat yield and ether extract content of liver. Conclusions/Recommendations: Supplementation of BET to replace up to 25% of total dietary Met did not affect the growth performance but improved the carcass quality of the broilers. BET could be used to spare 25% of the total Met in broiler diet that was formulated based on the Feeding Standard of China.

/pdf/effects-of-betaine-supplementation-to-methionine-deficient-l09at2a8md.pdf

Effects of Betaine Supplementation to Methionine Deficient Diet on Growth Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Broilers

Problem statement: Free Met as one of the most limiting AA in dairy cows would be mostly degraded in the rumen. This study was to determine the effect of different levels of Rumen-Protected Met (RPMet) on dairy performance and serum amino acid metabolism. Approach: Thirty-six Holstein cows in similar condition were randomly assigned to six experimental treatments with six replicates each. Levels of RPMet in six treatments were 0(control), 14, 28, 42, 56 and 70 g day-1 per cow, respectively. Results: Treatment had no effect on percentage of milk protein, lactose and SNF. However, milk yield of cows fed 42 g day-1 RPMet was significantly higher than that of the control group and milk fat percentage was significantly increased with 56 g day-1 RPMet supplementation. There was the trend to decrease the concentration of serum amino acids except Met and Arg with the supplementation of RPMet. Serum EAA contents of the group supplementation of 42 g day-1 RPMet
were lowest although there were no significant differences among all treatments. Serum BCAA
concentrations of cows fed 28 g RPMet were significantly lower than that of the control group.
Supplementation of 42 g RPMet could significantly decrease the concentration of NEAA and TAA
compared to the control group. Conclusion/Recommendations: Supplementation of rumen-protected
methionine improved dairy performance and promoted amino acid utilization in lactating cows in the
present experiment. The optimal level of RPMet in the diet was 42 g per cow day-1.

H. Sun

Papers

Effects of Betaine Supplementation to Methionine Deficient Diet on Growth Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Broilers

Effects of Rumen-Protected Methionine on Dairy Performance and Amino Acid Metabolism in Lactating Cows