Abstract:
An in vivo experiment was conducted to determine the effect of dietary betaine supplementation
(Betafin®) as a replacement for methionine on broiler performance and carcass
characteristics. In a completely randomized design (CRD) with five treatments of betaine
levels (at 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% in replacement for methionine) and five replicates of 10
birds/replicate, two hundred fifty-day-old Ross broiler chicks were randomly distributed
in cages and fed the experimental diets from 0 to 49 days of age. Feed and water were
provided ad libitum. Feed intake and body weight were recorded weekly. At 49 days of
age, one bird from each replicate was killed for comparison of carcass characteristics.
Betaine replacement for methionine had no effect on feed intake and feed to gain ratio but
decreased body weight gain at 0 to 3 (P<0.0465) and 0 to 7 weeks of age (P<0.01). Betaine
as a replacement for methionine decreased the breast weight (P<0.025) and tended to reduce
the abdominal fat pad (48.9 vs 40.4 grams , 100% methionine vs 100% betaine replacement
for methionine). The present findings do not support the hypothesis that betaine
can effectively replace methionine.
