THF CH3

t B9)
Methionine

Dimet h y l - g l y c

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Orffa Info
ingredients

Beta-Key
...balancing the diet
Betaine hydrochloride 93% for
use in pigs, poultry and fish
Beta-Key, betaine hydrochloride 93%
• Beta-Key is a white crystalline powder with excellent free-flowing abilities
and vitamin-like biological effects.
• Beta-Key consist of betaine hydrochloride – C5H11NO2.HCl.
• Beta-Key contains minimal 93% betaine hydrochloride which equals 70.7%
pure betaine.

Betaine is a methyl donor

• Both choline and betaine can be used as methyl donor, although choline has to be
converted into betaine in the mitochondria.
• Free methyl groups are generated for several reactions, such as synthesis of creatine,
phophatidylcholine, carnitine, adrenaline and purines.
• Both carnitine and phosphatidylcholine are important in preventing fatty liver problems:
- Carnitine is required for transport of fatty acids through the mitochondrial membrane,
where fatty acid oxidation takes place.
- Phosphatidylcholine is a limiting factor in synthesis of Very Low Density Lipoproteins
(VLDL). Formation of VLDL prevents the deposition of fat in the liver.

Figure 1: Methyldonor metabolism

Mitochondrion
Choline Choline Betaine

Betaine
S-adenosyl- Homocysteine
Homocystein

Metabolism CH3 MTHF CH3

(Vit B9)
S-adenosyl-
Methionine Methionine

Dimethyl-glycine

Betaine works as an osmoregulator

• Betaine servesCH
as an
3 organic osmolyte, a substance which protects against osmotic stress,
+
drought, high salinity and high temperature.
CH3 N CH 2
COO
• Cel wall proliferation by accumulation of betaine in the intestinal tissue, leads to an
CHsurface
enlarged cell wal 3
(Kettunen et al. 2001), thereby facilitating secretion of digestive
enzyms. Research showed increased villus heights due to the use of betaine in piglets (Xu
et al, 2000) and broilers (Klasing et al, 2002).
• Especially in cases of heat stress (for instance in broiler or sows) or during periods of
diarrhea (piglets, broilers and turkeys) there is a good application found in the use of
betaine.

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Betaine has carcass
modifying properties
• Using betaine increases carnitine levels in liver and muscle (reported increases between
9% and 52%).
• Since dietary betaine is involved in synthesis of carnitine, similar responses on carcass
quality may be expected. Dietary carnitine addition has been shown to reduce liver lipid
content in pigs as well (Owen et al, 1996).
• Several trials report improved carcass quality due to betaine addition. Betaine is known as
a “carcass modifier” (lower carcass fat and higer lean carcass %).

Table 1: Huang et al, 2006: “Changes in hormones, growth factor and lipid
metabolism in finishing pigs fed betaine”

Item Betaine (%)

0 0.125
Average Daily Gain (g) 798,5a 842,2b
Feed Conversion Ratio 3,11 3,03
Carcass lean percentage (%) 59,7a 62,8b
Carcass fat percentage (%) 19,4a 16,8b
Longissimus muscle area (10th rib), cm2 28,6a 33,6b
Average backfat thickness, cm 2,33a 2,09b
a,b = correspond with significant differences within the line (P<0.05)

Betaine and coccidiosis

• Ionophoric coccidiostats in poultry diets inhibit the activity of choline oxidase, which is
needed to convert choline into betaine within mitochondria. Additional betaine might be
required for an adequate supply of labile methyl groups (Tyler, 1977).
• Malabsorption and diarrhea are typical symptoms of coccidiosis. Betaine is known for its
positive influence on osmolytic balance in broilers and turkeys.
• Betaine has been reported to increase villus heights. Also during coccidial infection the typical
reduction in villus heights has been shown to be less severe (Klasing et al, 2002).

Table 2: Allen et al (1999) : “Dietary modulation of avian coccidiosis”

Diet supplement 21 days 1-21 days 21 days 21 days

Betaine Salinomycin Body weight FCR Mortality Lesion Score
(%) (ppm) (kg) (%)
0 0 0.58e 1.44a 16.6a 3.6a
0.15 0 0.59d 1.40b 14.1a 3.5a
0 44 0.60c 1.38bc 8.4b 2.9b
0.15 44 0.62b 1.35cd 4.7c 2.2c
0 66 0.62b 1.35cd 4.7c 2.3c
0.15 66 0.64a 1.31d 2.7c 1.8c
a-e = correspond with significant differences within the column (P<0.05)

In a coccidiose challenge trial, significant improvements in growth, feed conversion, mortality

and lesion scores for coccidiosis were shown, when the diet contained both betaine and
salinomycin.
Beta-Key: Known for free-flowing
characteristics
• Beta-Key is a white crystalline powder with excellent free-flowing abilities.
• Betaine Anhydrous products are known to be subject to caking problems.

Product B Beta-Key Product A Product B Beta-Key

2 days stability trial in open air 2 months stability trial in closed bottles

Dosage recommendations
• Basal dietary choline and betaine levels depend on feed composition (can go up to 1000 ppm).
• Especially in young animals choline requirements can be higher than choline feed levels.
• Betaine may replace all added choline (200 to 800 ppm) in diets for pigs, poultry and fish.
• For a 1:1 replacement of 1 kg of cholinechloride 50%, only 594 grams Beta-Key is needed.
• Research indicates that betaine is more effective than cholinechloride in methylgroup donation,
at maximum reported up to 3 times more effective (Stekol et al, 1953). Oxidation of choline in
mitochondria is believed to be the limiting step (Ecklund et al, 2005).
• Positive effects of betaine addition have been observed with inclusion rates up to 2000 ppm.
• Higher dosage advised for: - Improving carcass quality
- In case of coccidiosis or use of ionophoric coccidiostats
- In case of problems with fatty livers (especially layers)
- During periods of heat stress

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