Role of Betaine Supplementation on Growth Performance, Transportation Stress and Shrinkage Loss of Broilers during the Summer Season

Background: Heat stress is a major concern in the poultry industry as it causes heavy economic losses. The current study aimed to evaluate the role of betaine supplementation on growth performance, transportation stress and shrinkage loss of broilers during the summer season. Methods: An experiment was conducted on broiler chicks (n=234), reared in the deep litter up to the 42ndday on diets with or without betaine. The day-old chicks were randomly distributed into three dietary treatment groups viz., Control (Birds fed on a basal diet), T1 (Birds fed on a basal diet, supplemented with Optibetaine @ 1 kg/ton of feed), T2 (Birds fed on a basal diet, supplemented with Betaine HCL @ kg/ton of feed). Each dietary treatment comprised six replicates of thirteen birds each. Result: It was found thatbirds supplemented with betaine significantly improved in LBW/BWG. Supplementation of optibetaine performed best in comparison with betaine HCL and Control group birds by reducing mortality percentage by 2.56% and 6.41% respectively. NCDV HI titre gives numerically high values in betaine supplemented groups. Cellular immunity at the 42nd day of age improved due to optibetaine supplementation. The rise in corticosterone concentration due to transportation stress was more in control group and less in the betaine supplemented group. There was no significant effect on the serum glucose level.The optibetaine supplementation group shows lower shrinkage loss.