Abdelsattar, M. M.  <br/><br/>
Impact of betaine as a feed additive on livestock performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality- a review  [electronic resource] 

 - p. :33-42 
<br/><br/>Includes bibliographic reference 
<br/><br/> Betaine (trimethylglycine) is a nontoxic methylamine compound contains the amino acid glycine with three chemically reactive methyl groups. <br/>This review gives an overview of the roles of betaine as a feed additive on the performance, carcass, meat quality in livestock production. <br/>Biological functions of betaine are defined as an osmolyte, methyl donor, and carcass modifier. As an osmolyte, betaine regulates the <br/>cellular hydration status and alleviates osmotic stress. As a methyl donor, betaine plays an important role in methylation reactions. <br/>Therefore, betaine may partly replace other methyl donors such as choline and methionine in the diet. Betaine is also supposed to <br/>play a significant role in lipid metabolism and has lipotropic effects also participating in the protein synthesis. A review of the <br/>results of this study suggests that betaine supplementation was effective to improve the average daily gain significantly, <br/>increased feed consumption and improved efficiency of food utilization of ruminants and monogastric animals. Betaine has been <br/>characterized as a carcass modifier by increasing the lean carcass percentage and decrease fat percentage by reducing lipid deposition. <br/>In conclusion, this study implies that dietary betaine supplementation was efficacious on growth performance and carcass characteristics of livestock.<br/><br/>Key words: Betaine, Livestock, Meat quality, Carcass characteristics.<br/> 
<br/><br/><br/>Summary in Arabic 
<br/><br/><label>Subjects--Topical Terms: </label><br/>Betaine	<br/>Livestock--Feeding and feeds.<br/>Meat--Quality.