Effects of betaine on performence, carcass characteristics and hepatic betaine-hornocysteine methyltransferase activity in finishing barrows

This experiment was conducted to determine the effect of dietary betaine (0, 0.125%) oil performance, carcass composition, pork quality and hepatic betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase (BHMT) activity of crossbred finishing barrows. Three replicates of ten pigs were used for each treatment, The results showed that average daily gain. feed intake and Iced conversion ere not affected by betaine. Compared with the control group. pigs treated with betaine had a 8.17% (p < 0.05) decrease ill carcass fat percentage. and a 8.84% (p < 0.05) reduction in 10th-rib backfat thickness, but dressing percentage, percentage lean. longissimus muscle area. and average backfat thickness were not affected. There were also no significant differences in musele color score, marbling score, pork pH value and water loss rate between the control and betaine-treated groups. Hepatic betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase (BHMT) activity was significantly increased by 13.97% (p < 0.05) when pigs were offered 0.125% betanie.