Effects of dietary supplementation of betaine and sepiolite supplementation on performance and intestinal health in broilers

Abstract

The aim of the study was to explain the effects of betaine and sepiolite in diets on performance, carcass characteristics, some blood parameters and some intestinal health parameters in broilers. A total of 192 daily Ross 308 male broiler chicks were divided into one control group and three experiment groups each containing 48 chicks. Betaine and sepiolite was added as top dressed to the diets of experimental groups at the level of 0.15% betaine (1st group), 1.5% sepiolite (2nd group) and 0.15% betaine + 1.5% sepiolite (3rd group). Sepiolite and betaine were not added to the diet of control group. The experimental period was 6 weeks. No differences were observed in body weight, overall body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, carcass yield and the relative weights of gizzard, heart, liver, spleen and bursa of Fabricius among groups. The relative weight of abdominal fat decreased with betaine usage. Supplemental betaine increased relative percentage of kidney weight. Dietary supplementation of betaine with sepiolite had some positive effects on intestinal histomorphology characteristics. The level of serum triglyceride was reduced with 0.15% betaine inclusion in the diet. Albumin, cholesterol, protein, uric acid, AST, ALP and ALT levels of blood serum were not affected by betaine with and without sepiolite supplement. Blood serum IgG level was increased by dietary supplementation of betaine with and without sepiolite. It is concluded that the dietary usage of betaine with sepiolite in broilers can be useful in the field due to having some improvements in intestinal histomorphology and immunity.

Keywords

• Betaine; Broiler; Intestinal histomorphology; Performance; Sepiolite

References

1. ADAS (1981): The Analysis of Agricultural Materials. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Agricultural Development and Advisory Service, 2nd ed. Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, London, UK.
2. Allain V, Mirabito L, Arnould C, et al. (2009): Skin lesions in broiler chickens measured at the slaughterhouse: relationships between lesions and between their prevalence and rearing factors. Br Poult Sci, 50, 407-417.
3. AOAC (2000): Official Methods of Analysis of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists. 17th Ed., AOAC International, Maryland, USA.
4. Attia YA, Hassan RA, Shehatta MH, et al. (2005): Growth, carcass quality and serum constituents of slow growing chicks as affected by betaine addition to diets containing 2. Different levels of methionine. Int J Poult Sci, 4, 856-865
5. Avcılar ÖV, Kocakaya A, Onbaşılar EE, et al. (2018): Influence of sepiolite additions to different litter materials on performance and some welfare parameters of broilers and litter characteristics. Poultry Sci, 97, 3085-3091.
6. Ayed MH, Zghal I, Rekik B (2011): Effect of sepiolite supplementation on broiler growth performances and carcass yield. Res Opinions in Anim Vet Sci, 1, 375-378.
7. Burçak E, Yalçın S (2018): Effects of dietary sepiolite usage on performance, carcass characteristics, blood parameters and rumen fluid metabolites in Merino cross breed lambs. Appl Clay Sci, 163, 291-298.
8. Chand N, Naz S, Maris H, et al. (2017): Effect of betaine supplementation on the performance and immune response of heat stressed broilers. Pakistan J Zool, 49, 1857-1862.

9. Dawson B, Trapp RG (2001): Basic and Clinical Biostatistics, 3rd ed. Lange Medical Books/McGraw-Hill Medical Publishing Division, New York, USA.
10. EFSA (2013): Scientific Opinion on the safety and efficacy of a preparation of bentonite and sepiolite (Toxfin® Dry) as feed additive for all species. EFSA Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP), Parma, Italy. EFSA J, 11, 3179.
11. El-Shinnawy (2015): Effect of betaine supplementation to methionine adequate diet on growth performance, carcass characteristics, some blood parameters and economic efficiency of broilers. J Animal and Poultry Prod, 6, 27-41.
12. Eser H, Yalçın S, Yalçın S, et al. (2012): Effects of sepiolite usage in broiler diets on performance, carcass traits and some blood parameters. Kafkas Üniv Vet Fak Derg, 18, 313-318.
13. Esteve-Garcia E, Mack S (2000): The effect of DL-methionine and betaine on growth performance and carcass characteristics in broilers. Anim Feed Sci Technol, 87, 85-93.
14. Farese G, Schmidt JL, Mager M (1967): An automated method for the determination of serum calcium with glyoxal bis (2-hydroxyanil). Clin Chem, 13, 515-520.
15. Farooqi HAG, Khan MS, Khan MA, et al. (2005): Evaluation of betaine and vitamin C in alleviation of heat stress in broilers. Int J Agric Biol, 7, 744-746.
16. Galan E (1996): Properties and applications of palygorskite-sepiolite clays. Clay Miner, 31, 443-453.
17. Gao B, Jeong WH, Tian Z (2008): Liver: An organ with predominant innate immunity. J Hepatol, 47, 729-736.
18. Hamidi H, Jahanian R, Pourreza J (2010): Effect of dietary betaine on performance, immunocompetence and gut contents osmolarity of broilers challenged with a mixed coccidial infection. Asian J Anim Veterinary Adv, 5, 193-201.
19. Huang QC, Xu ZR, Han XY, et al. (2006): Changes in hormones, growth factor and lipid metabolism in finishing pigs fed betaine. Livest Sci, 105, 78-85.
20. Ismail ZSH, Ahmad EAM (2017): Some physiological responses to dietary betaine levels in broiler chickens. Egypt Poult Sci, 37, 1249-1259.
21. Jahanian R, Rahmani HR (2008): The effect fat level on the response of broiler chicks to betaine and choline supplements. J Biol Sci, 8, 362-367.
22. Kettunen H, Peuranen S, Tilhonen K (2001): Betaine aids in the osmoregulation of duodenal epithelium of broiler chicks, and affects the movement of water across the small intestinal epithelium in vitro. Comp Biochem Physiol, 129A, 595-603.
23. Kettunen H, Tilhonen K, Peuranen S, et al. (2001): Dietary betaine accumulates in the liver and intestinal tissue and stabilizes the intestinal epithelial structure in healthy and coccidia-infected broiler chicks. Comp Biochem Physiol, 130A, 759-769.
24. Kjaer JB, Su G, Nielsen BL, et al. (2006): Foot pad dermatitis and hock burn in broiler chickens and degree of inheritance. Poult Sci, 85, 1342-1348
25. Klasing KC, Adler KL, Remus JC, et al. (2002): Dietary betaine increases intraepithelial lymphocytes in the duodenum of coccidian-infected chicks and increases functional properties of phagocytes. J Nutr, 132, 2274-2282.
26. Latshaw JD (1991): Nutrition-mechanism of immunosuppression. Vet Immunol Immunopathol, 30, 111-120.
27. Leeson S, Summers JD (2001): Nutrition of the Chicken. University Books, Guelph, Canada.
28. McDevitt RM, Mack S, Wallis IR (2000): Can betaine partially replace or enhance the effect of methionine by improving broiler growth and carcasse characteristics? Br Poult Sci, 41, 473-480.
29. Metzler-Zebeli BU, Eklund M, Mosenthin R (2009): Impact of osmoregulatory and methyl donor functions of betaine on intestinal health and performance in poultry. World’s Poult Sci J, 653, 419-442.
30. Mostashari-Mohases M, Sadegki AA, Ahmadi J, et al. (2017): Effect of betaine supplementation on performance parameters, betaine-homocysteine, S-methyltransferase gene expression in broiler chickens consume drinking water with different total dissolved solids. Kafkas Üniv Vet Fak Derg, 23, 563-569.
31. Noll SL, Stangeland V, Speers G, et al. (2002): Betaine and breast meat yield in turkeys. Proc.Multistate Poultry Nutrition and Feeding Conf., Indianapolis,IN. Universities of Kentucky, Illinois, Michigan State, Purdueand Ohio State Cooperating.
32. Olver MD (1997): Effect of feding clinoptilolite (zeolite) on the performances of three strain of laying hens. Br Poult Sci, 38, 220-222.
33. Ouhida I, Perez JF, Gasa J, et al. (2000): Enzymes (β-glucanase and arabinoxylanase) and/or sepiolite supplementation and the nutritive value of maize-barley-wheat based diets for broiler chickens. Br Poult Sci, 41, 617-624.
34. Parizadian Kavan B, Shams Shargh M, Hassani S, et al. (2013): Effects of physical size of clinoptilolite on growth performance, serum biochemical parameters and litter quality of broiler chickens in the growing phase. Poult Sci J, 1, 93-104.
35. Remus JC, Virtanen E, Rosi L, et al. (1995): Effect of betaine on nutrient utilization of 21 day-old broilers during coccidiosis. 10th European Symposium of Poultry Nutrition, October, 1995.
36. Sakamoto K, Hirose H, Onizuka A, et al. (2000): Quantitative study of changes in intestinal morphology and mucus gel on total parenteral nutrition in rats. J Surgical Res, 94, 99–106.
37. Santos TTd, Dassi SC, Franco CRC, et al. (2019) Influence of fibre and betaine on development of the gastrointestinal tract of broilers between hatch and 14 d of age. Anim Nutr, 5, 115-126.
38. Saunderson LC, Mackinlay J (1990): Changes in body-weight, composition and hepatic enzyme activities in response to dietary methionine, betaine and choline levels in growing chicks. Br J Nutr, 63, 339-349
39. Schutte JB, De Jong J, Sming W, et al (1997): Replacement value of betaine for DL- methionine in male broiler chicks. Poult Sci, 76, 321-325.
40. Sun H, Yang WR, Yang ZB, et al. (2008): Effects of betaine supplementation to methionine deficient diet on growth performance and carcass characteristics of broilers. Am J Anim Vet Sci, 3, 78-84.
41. Tortuero F, Fernandez Gonzalez E, et al. (1992): Effects of dietary sepiolite on the growth, visceral measurements and food passage in chickens. Arch Zootec, 41, 209-217.
42. Van Der AA (2008): Clay minerals to fight footpad lesions. World Poult, 12, 15-17.
43. Virtanen E, Rosi L (1995): Effects of betaine on methionine requirement of broilers under various environmental conditions. In Proceedings of the Australian Poultry Science Symposium, 88-92.
44. Viseras C, Lopez-Galindo A (1999): Pharmaceutical application of some Spanish clays (sepiolite, palygorskite, bentonite) some preformulation studies. Appl Clay Sci, 14, 69-82.
45. Waldroup PW, Fritts CA (2005): Evaluation of separate and combined effects of choline and betaine in diets for male broilers. Int J Poult Sci, 4, 442-448.
46. Waldroup PW, Motl MA, Yan F, et al. (2006): Effects of betaine and choline on response to methionine supplementation to broiler diets formulated to industry standards. J Appl Poult Res, 15, 58-71.
47. Wang YZ, Xu ZR, Feng J (2004): The effect of betaine and DL-methionine on growth performance and carcass characteristics in meat ducks. Anim Feed Sci Technol, 116, 151-159.
48. Wu QJ, Zhou YM, Wu YN, et al. (2013): Intestinal development and function of broiler chickens on diets supplemented with clinoptilolite. Asian-Australasian J Anim Sci, 26, 987-994.
49. Yalçın S, Yalçın S, Gebeş ES, et al. (2017): Sepiolite as a feed supplement for broilers. Appl Clay Sci, 148, 95-102.
50. Zhan XA, Li JX, Xu ZR, et al. (2006): Effects of methionine and betaine supplementation on growth performance, carcasse composition and metabolism of lipids in male broilers. Br Poult Sci, 47, 576-580.
51. Zülkifli I, Mysahra SA, Jin LZ (2004): Dietary supplementation of betaine (Betafin) and response to high temperature stress in male broiler chickens. Asian-Australasian J Anim Sci, 17, 244-249.