# Effects of Betaine on Performance, Blood Biochemistry, Nutrient Utilization and Gut Health in Coccidia‐Infected Broilers

## TL;DR

This study shows that adding betaine to the diet of chickens infected with coccidia can improve their growth, digestion, blood health, and gut condition.

## Contribution

The study demonstrates that betaine at 600 mg/kg is most effective in mitigating coccidiosis effects in broilers.

## Key findings

- Betaine at 600 mg/kg significantly improved growth performance and nutrient digestibility in infected broilers.
- Higher betaine doses reduced caecal lesion scores and improved blood lipid profiles in coccidia-challenged chickens.
- The study suggests betaine could be a supportive dietary strategy against coccidial infection.

## Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the ameliorative effect of betaine on the performance, blood biochemistry, intestinal lesion score and nutrient utilization of broiler chickens exposed to coccidian challenge. A total of 600 one‐day‐old broiler chicks (Ross 708) were randomly assigned to five groups (six replicates). The negative control group (NC) remained unchallenged and received non‐supplemented feed, while the positive control group (PC) received non‐supplemented feed and was challenged with oocysts. The other three groups (B2, B4 and B6) were challenged with oocysts and received feed supplemented with 200, 400 and 600 mg/kg betaine, respectively. Results indicated a significant decrease in growth performance, nutrient digestibility and altered blood lipid profiles in the PC group, with the most significant restoration observed in the B6 group. Caecal lesion scores were also notably restored in the B4 and B6 groups among the infected broilers. In conclusion, betaine supplementation at a rate of 600 mg/kg demonstrated improvements in growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood biochemistry and caecal lesion scores in broilers experimentally exposed to coccidiosis. However, the findings cannot be considered 100% conclusive, as variations in breed, management practices and infection severity may influence outcomes. The major limitation of this study is that it was conducted under controlled experimental conditions, which may not fully reflect field circumstances. Future research should explore different genetic strains, longer trial durations and combinations of betaine with other anticoccidial alternatives to better validate and extend these results.

Betaine supplementation improved growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood lipid profiles and caecal lesion scores in broilers experimentally challenged with coccidiosis, with the greatest benefits observed at 600 mg/kg, highlighting its potential as a supportive dietary strategy against coccidial infection.