Uggla, Arvid
- National Veterinary Institute (SVA)
- Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Abstract
A trial was conducted to investigate the effects of betaine as a feed supplement, given singly and in combination with the ionophore coccidiostat narasin, on broiler performance during an experimental coccidial infection. Five hundred and sixty female Ross broiler chickens were kept in floor pens and given a wheat-based diet. At 10 d of age, 420 chickens were individually inoculated with a mixture of Swedish chicken Eimeria isolates containing E. acervtulina, E. praecox, E. maxima, and E. tenella. Remaining birds were kept as uninoculated controls. The effects of betaine (0 or 1.0 g/kg) and narasin (0 or 70 ppm) added to the basal diet were evaluated. Overall, betaine as a single feed supplement improved live weight by 5.7, 5.4, and 5.6% at 22, 29, and 36 d, respectively, but had no positive effect in combination with narasin. A longer withdrawal period of the coccidiostat (10 vs 5 d) did not affect live weight, but significantly increased feed intake by 9.6% and feed conversion ratio by 12.6%, irrespective of betaine supplement. Inoculated birds had a 10% lower live weight than uninoculated chickens. Performance of uninoculated birds was similar to that of inoculated birds treated with narasin, except at 7 d after inoculation, when live weights of uninoculated birds were significantly higher. Chickens given coccidiostat had less Clostridium perfringens in their ceca, but the prevalence was not altered by betaine supplement. There was no difference in intestinal lesion scores between inoculated chickens given coccidiostat or not, despite the better performance of chickens given coccidiostat. Betaine did not affect Eimeria oocyst output or intestinal lesion scores.
Keywords
chicken; coccidiosis; betaine; growth performance; Clostridium perfringens
Published in
Poultry Science
1999, volume: 78, number: 2, pages: 182-189
SLU Authors
UKÄ Subject classification
Animal and Dairy Science
Clinical Science
Publication identifier
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ps/78.2.182
Permanent link to this page (URI)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/145167