title: The effect of dietary betaine on intestinal and plasma levels of betaine in uninfected and coccidia-infected broiler chicks.
abstract: Chicks fed betaine supplemented diets and infected with Eimeria acervulina and Eimeria maxima had markedly higher levels of betaine in the duodenum and mid-gut than unsupplemented, infected chicks. Uninfected chicks fed betaine exhibited almost twice the levels of betaine in the gut as infected chicks. Plasma betaine levels were lower in E. maxima-infected chicks than in E. acervulina-or Eimeria tenella-infected chicks. Betaine supplementation reversed the decrease in weight gain in E. maxima- infected chicks but had no effect on the decrease in weight gains in E acervulina- and E. tenella-infected chicks. Coccidia-infected birds on normal diets regularly exhibit increases in plasma NO(2)(+)NO(3). This increase was abolished in E.tenella-infected birds on betaine supplement. Betaine feeding did not alter this effect in E. acervulina- and E. maxima-infected birds. Results indicate that betaine supplementation has a positive effect on gut betaine levels in birds infected with E. acervulina and E. maxima. In all treatment groups, infection lowered the levels of betaine.
authors.affiliation: Parasite Biology, Epidemiology and Systematics Laboratory, Animal and Natural Resources Institute, Agricultural Research Service, Henry A. Wallace Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, USDA, MD 20705, USA. rfettere@anri.barc.usda.gov
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Fetterer
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Augustine
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Barfield
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001622:Betaine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002645:Chickens; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004032:Diet; D004386:Duodenum; D004539:Eimeria; D016786:Eimeria tenella; D007408:Intestinal Absorption / Q000187:drug effects; D007422:Intestines / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000469:parasitology; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000469:parasitology; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D001622:Betaine