Use of Betaine and Glycine as Nutritional Supplements in Laying Hens' Diets and their Effect on Production Performance
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56286/NTU-JAVS.2026.6.1.63-73Keywords:
Betaine , Glycine Nutritional Supplements , Laying Hens, PerformanceAbstract
The study was conducted in the laying hens field of the Animal Production Department - College of Agriculture and Forestry / University of Mosul, in a semi-closed hall with floor-based rearing of and 216 local (Mezo) laying hens were used for the purpose of the study in the production stage from the beginning of week 44 until the end of week 54week, The ration provided to the hens was uniform in energy (2865 kcal/kg) and protein (17%), with betaine and glycine supplementation to the treatment rations, where the treatments were as follows:
T1: Control
T2: Use of betaine 2.4 gm/kg ration
T3: Use of glycine 2.4 gm/kg ration
T4: Use of betaine 1.2 gm + glycine 1.2 gm/kg ration
The experimental period lasted 11 weeks, during which data on production indicators were taken and statistically analyzed at a significance level (P?0.05). The results were as follows:
There was a significant increase in the mass of eggs produced and the egg production rate%, an improvement in the feed conversion ratio, and a decrease in the feed consumption of hens in the treatments that contained betaine and glycine or both together compared to the control treatment, while it was found that the number and weight of eggs produced were not significantly affected.
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