The effect of full substitution of supplemental methionine with betaine in broiler nutrition on production and slaughter results
The use of betaine can influence the resistance, production performance and quality of broiler carcass, and potentially it can reduce the need for choline and methionine in food due to the mutual correlation of these three substances in the organism. Objective of the paper was to investigate the effect of full substitution of added DL-methionine with betaine in diets for broilers on production and slaughter parameters in conditions of optimal amount of choline in the feed. Study was carried out on 1725 one day old broiler chickens of Cobb 500 hybrid divided into 3 groups: Control group (C) fed complete forage mixtures with usual addition of DL methionine and two trial groups where methionine was substituted by 1g (B1group), and by 2g of betaine per kilogram of mixture (B2 group). Research results indicate that the full substitution of supplemented methionine with betaine in feed can have positive and negative impact in broiler fattening. Negative effects on final body mass, gain and feed conversion were determined in broilers fed mixtures where 1g of synthetic methionine was replaced with 1g of betaine preparation, and at the same time positive influence on mortality was observed, especially in broilers fed diets containing 2g of betaine. Production index showed no significant differences between trial groups, as well as studied broiler carcass quality parameters.