Shubhnish¹*, Sushil Kumar¹, Sajjan Sihag¹ and Komal²*

¹ Department of Animal Nutrition, Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (LUVAS), Hisar, Haryana, India
²Department of Livestock Production Management, Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (LUVAS), Hisar, Haryana, India

*Corresponding Author: Shubhnish, Department of Animal Nutrition, Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (LUVAS), Hisar, Haryana, India.

Received: December 09, 2024; Published: December 31, 2024

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of betaine hydrochloride on broiler chickens' antioxidant profile, gut health and immune system. Two hundred birds were divided into five groups of 40 birds and each group had 4 replicates of 10 birds. Group B0.0 served as the control and while B0.5, B1.0, B1.5 and B2.0 received 0.50, 1.00, 1.50 and 2.00g betaine hydrochloride/kg feed, respectively. The feed intake, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio were significantly (p < 0.05) improved by betaine supplementation in comparison to the control group with the highest effects noted in B2.0 group. Antioxidant enzyme activity was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in all betaine-supplemented groups in comparison to the control. In gut microflora count harmful bacteria (E. coli and Salmonella) decreased (p < 0.05), while beneficial Lactobacilli increased (p < 0.05), with B2.0 showing the best results. Notably, gut morphology was significantly improved by betaine supplementation, with increased villi length (VL) and villi height: crypt depth ratio, indicating enhanced nutrient absorption and gut health, with the most significant improvements observed in B2.0. Gene expression analysis revealed enhanced mRNA expression of TLR 2 and TLR 7, indicating improved immunity, and downregulation of TLR4, suggesting reduced inflammation. The most pronounced changes were observed in B2.0. Overall, the study suggests that 2.0 g/kg betaine hydrochloride supplementation (B2.0) has the most beneficial effects on antioxidant status, gut health, and immune system function in broiler chickens.

Keywords: Betaine; Antioxidant; Gut-Microflora; Gut-Morphology; Gene Expression

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Citation

Citation: Shubhnish., et al. “Effect of Betaine Hydrochloride on Growth, Antioxidant Enzyme Status, Gut Health and Expression of Immunity-Related Genes in Broilers" Acta Scientific Nutritional Health 9.1 (2025): 52-59.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2025 Shubhnish., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.