Effect of Betaine Supplementation on the Performance and Immune Response of Heat Stressed Broilers
Effect of Betaine Supplementation on the Performance and Immune Response of Heat Stressed Broilers
Naila Chand1,*, Shabana Naz2, Hamza Maris1, Rifat Ullhah Khan1, Sarzamin Khan1 and Muhammad Subhan Qureshi1
ABSTRACT
This study was planned to investigate the effects of betaine supplementation on growth performance and immunity in broilers under natural summer stress. A total of one hundred and twenty day-old broiler chicks were divided into four different treatment groups such as Bet-0, Bet-1.0, Bet-1.5, Bet-2.0 having betaine supplementation at the rate of 0, 1, 1.5 and 2 g/kg feed, respectively. Significantly (P<0.05) higher weekly and total feed intake and weight gain were recorded in group Bet-2.0. Higher level of betaine supplementation significantly (P< 0.05) improved feed conversion ratio (FCR). Betaine supplementation significantly (P< 0.05) improved dressing percentage. The treatment groups had significantly (P<0.05) lower heterophil number and significantly (P<0.05) higher lymphocytes number than the control group. The heterophil/lymphocytes ratio and antibody titer was significantly (P<0.05) lower in the treated groups. Based on these results, it is concluded that supplementation of diets with betaine improved broiler feed intake, weight gain, FCR and increased immunity were under heat stress condition.
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October 2017
Vol. 49, Iss. 5, Pages 1547-1936
