Role of Betaine in poultry health during heat stress

Betaine plays a crucial role in supporting poultry health, particularly during heat-stress conditions. Its ability to preserve intestinal integrity, enhance growth, and improve production performance makes it a valuable asset for poultry farmers. Let's explore the multifaceted benefits of betaine in poultry nutrition:

Intestinal Health Support

Betaine aids in maintaining intestinal integrity by facilitating water retention, increasing cell volume, and promoting anabolic activity. This ensures optimal nutrient absorption and reduces the risk of gastrointestinal issues in poultry.

Metabolic Efficiency

With three methyl groups in its structure, betaine serves as a key methyl donor in metabolic reactions. By sparing compounds like methionine, choline, and folic acid, betaine supplementation may reduce the need for these nutrients, promoting metabolic efficiency in poultry.

Energy Conservation

Betaine conserves energy expenditure in poultry, particularly in high-temperature environments. By reducing the energy required for processes like the Na+/K+ pump and Calcium pump, betaine allows poultry to redirect saved energy towards growth and development.

Gut Microbiota Enhancement

Betaine enhances the concentration of beneficial short-chain fatty acids, crucial for maintaining a healthy gut microbiota composition. This supports the proliferation of beneficial bacteria like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium while inhibiting the colonization of harmful bacteria in the intestinal tract.

Production Performance Enhancement

In laying hens, betaine supplementation leads to increased daily egg mass production, reduced issues with thin eggshells related to heat stress, and enhanced serum concentrations of estradiol and melatonin. These benefits contribute to improved production performance and profitability.

Quality Assurance

Trouw Nutrition's Betaine is meticulously tested and adheres to stringent quality standards. Its natural composition elevates production performance, notably increasing breast meat percentage and supporting animal performance across multiple metabolic pathways.

Dosage Recommendation

For broiler, layer, and breeder birds, the recommended dosage of betaine is 0.5 to 1 kg per ton of feed. In challenging conditions like heat stress, the dosage can be increased to up to 2 kg per ton of feed to maximize benefits.

Hematological Parameter Optimization

Betaine significantly enhances hematological parameters, including red blood cell and platelet count, while reducing the number of heterophils and increasing the number of lymphocytes. This supports immune function and reduces inflammation during heat stress conditions.

Nutrient Absorption and Utilization

Betaine aids in the expansion of intestinal mucosa, enhancing the absorption and utilization of nutrients. This results in improved digestibility of crude protein, crude fibre, and ether extract, ensuring optimal nutrient utilization by poultry.

In conclusion, betaine emerges as a pivotal component in poultry health management, particularly in the face of heat stress challenges. Inclusion of hydroxy trace minerals like Intellibond to improve egg production and reduce cracked eggs. Supplementation of IntelliOpt, an optimal combination of hydroxy (Intellibond) and chelated (Optimin) trace mineral technology, at appropriate inclusion levels, has proved to enhance poultry performance in  heat stress conditions