EFFECT OF BETAINE SUPPLEMENTATION ON THE PRODUCTION PERFORMANCE OF BROILER DURING SUMMER SEASON

Abstract

A study was conducted to investigate the effects of Betaine on live weight gain, feed consumption, FCR, meat yield traits of commercial broilers. A total of 96 day old broiler chicks (Cobb 500) fed diets T0, T1, T2 and T3 having three replications in each.T0 (control diet), T1 (0.03% betaine in water), T2 (0.06% betaine in water) and T3 (0.09% betaine in water).The birds were reared in litter management system. Body weight gains, feed conversion ratio (FCR), mortality and meat yield traits were recorded. The collected data were analyzed in CRD by using the SPSS software. Feed intake was almost similar (P>0.05) among the dietary groups. Body weight gain and FCR were significantly (P<0.05) different among the dietary groups. The highest body weight gain was (P<0.05) in T2 (1632.83g), followed by T1 (1566.64) and T3 (1521.15g) and T0 (1465.52g) respectively. The lowest FCR was found in T2 (1.36) and the highest FCR in T0 (1.45), the intermediate in T1 (1.39) and T3 (1.42) respectively. It was found that there was significant (P<0.05) difference among the dietary groups in case of carcass weight, live weight, thigh weight, breast weight but there was almost similar(P>0.05) among the dietary groups for heart weight, spleen weight, gizzard weight, head weight and intestine weight. Carcass weight in T2 (980.43g) and live weight T2 (1632.83g) were significantly (P<0.05) higher compared to control T0 (766.89g) and T0 (1465.52g) respectively. No mortality was found among the dietary groups during experimental period.