APSS 2013 Proceedings - The University of Sydney

Aust. Poult. Sci. Symp. 2013.....24
COMPARISON OF ANHYDROUS AND HYDROCHLORIDE FORMS OF
BETAINE ON BROILER PERFORMANCE
D. CRESWELL 1
Summary
A trial was conducted at Bangkok Animal Research Centre (BARC), June-July, 2012, as part of the
ongoing program of research on betaine for broilers. This trial demonstrated that both anhydrous
betaine and betaine hydrochloride in equi-molar amounts are effective for use in diets
reduced in choline, methionine and oil, tending to give improved Live Weight Corrected FCR
(LWC FCR). Betaine hydrochloride was shown to be effective when used in drinking water.
I. INTRODUCTION
Betaine has been extensively reviewed as an additive for poultry diets (Metzler-Zebeli et al.,
2009). Positive effects have been shown on carcass yield and breast meat. As a methyl donor,
betaine may partially substitute other methyl group donors such as methionine and choline.
As an osmolyte, betaine controls movement of ions and water into and out of intestinal cells,
at a lower energy cost than use of ion pumps. This reduces the energy cost of maintenance
(Campbell et al., 1997). There are two commercial forms of betaine, anhydrous betaine and
betaine hydrochloride. Few comparisons have been made between these two forms. Creswell
(2012) showed increased carcass yield with the hydrochloride form, while Phillip (2012)
demonstrated the osmolyte properties of betaine hydrochloride, as it is a zwitterion at the
point of absorption in the small intestine. This study aimed to compare the two forms of
betaine on broiler performance, when included in diets reduced in choline, methionine and
energy (oil) or when added in drinking water.
II. MATERIALS AND METHODS
Three hundred newly hatched male broiler chicks of commercial strain (Arbor Acres Plus)
were randomly allocated to five treatments with six replications using 10 male birds in a pen
as an experimental unit. Diets were wheat-corn-soybean meal-palm oil. A Negative Control
(NC) treatment was formulated by removing all choline chloride, 1.25 kg/t DL Methionine
and 0.31 MJ/kg ME (17-23 kg/t palm oil) from the Positive Control (PC). The two betaine
sources were added to the NC in equi-molar amounts. Details of the treatments are shown in
Table 1. In a fifth treatment, the NC was fed, and betaine hydrochloride was added to
drinking water at 0.10% (w/v).
The experiment was conducted in a closed house with tunnel ventilation and
evaporative cooling system. Birds were raised on solid-concrete-floor pens using rice hulls as
bedding material. Experimental diets were fed in pelleted and crumble form to 12 days and in
pellet form thereafter until the end of the trial. The average max/min temperature and relative
humidity in the experimental house were 36.2/30.8 o C and 39.3% during 0-7 days of age,
31.7/26.7 o C and 76.3% during 7-16 days of age, 30.4/26.5 o C and 80.9% during 16-38 days
of age, respectively.
1 CRESWELL NUTRITION, Sydney, Australia. dcreswell@bigpond.com
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