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How betaine affects the gut of weaning piglets
Betaine positively influences gut health of weaning piglets. Betaine can support nutrient digestion and absorption, improve the physical barrier of protection, impact microbiota and enhance piglets’ defence.
BY LIEN VANDE MAELE, CENTRAL TECHNICAL MANAGER, ORFFA B
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etaine is a naturally occurring compound, widely distributed in animals and plants. As a feed additive, available in anhydrous or hydrochloride form, it can be supplemented to animal diets for a variety
of purposes.
One of these purposes can be the very efficient methyl donor capacity of betaine, which mostly takes place in the liver. Thanks to the transfer of a labile methyl group, synthesis of various compounds like methionine, carnitine and creatine is promoted. This way, betaine influences protein, lipid and energy meta- bolism and, consequently, beneficially modifies carcass composition.
Another reason to add betaine in a feed is related to its func- tion as a protective organic osmolyte. In that function, betaine helps cells all over the body maintain water balance and cellu- lar activity, especially during stress. A well-known example is the positive impact of betaine on animals under heat stress. In pigs, different beneficial effects of supplementing with be- taine are described. This article will focus on the role of betaine as a feed additive to support gut health in weaning piglets.
Increased digestibility Several studies with betaine reported influences on ileal or total tract digestibility of nutrients in pigs. The repeated ob- servation of increased ileal digestibility of fibre (either crude fibre or neutral and acid detergent fibre) suggests betaine stimulates bacterial fermentation in the small intestine, since intestinal cells do not produce fibre-degrading enzymes. The fibre fraction of plants holds nutrients, which can be released during this microbial fibre degradation. Consequently, improved dry matter and crude ash digestibili- ty was also observed. On total tract level, an improvement of crude protein (+6.4%) and dry matter (+4.2%) digestibility
Figure 1 - Activities of intestinal digesta enzymes in piglets supplemented with betaine at 0 mg/kg, 1,250 mg/kg or 2,500 mg/kg diet.
Betaine 1,250 mg/kg Betaine 2,500 mg/kg Betaine 0 mg/kg
Duodenum 8 ▶ PIG PROGRESS | Volume 37, No. 5/6, 2021
Jejunum
Ileum
Amylase Maltase Lipase Trypsin Chymotrypsin Amylase Maltase Lipase Trypsin Chymotrypsin Amylase Maltase Lipase Trypsin Chymotrypsin
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK
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