ISSUE FOCUS 30 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE January 2023 As a result, butyrate has become an important ingredient in aquafeed to reduce the need for antibiotics and use of this ingredient is expected to continue to grow in the future. BETAINE Betaine is a compound commonly used in aquaculture to improve the growth and health status of fish and shrimp. It is known for multiple beneficial effects on aquatic animals, including enhanced digestion and absorption of nutrients, reduced stress and disease susceptibility, and improved overall health and performance of animals. One of the key benefits that betaine has on aquatic animals is by improving the osmotic status of fish and shrimp in the body, which helps the animals to retain water and maintain the healthy status of body cells. Betaine also helps to improve the digestion and absorption of nutrients, which can enhance the growth and development of the animals. Another major benefit of betaine in aquaculture is its ability to reduce the negative impacts of stress. Betaine has been shown to reduce the levels of stress hormones in the body, which can help to improve the overall health and well-being of animals. Stress is known to lead to reduced growth, impaired immune function, and increased susceptibility to diseases. An example of decreased disease susceptibility can be seen in an experiment with Nile tilapia, where either spirulina (TS) at 0.3%, betaine (TB) at 0.5% and the combination of both (TSB) were compared with a control diet without these feed additives. After a challenge with Aeromonas hydrophilia, betaine significantly improved survival compared to the control diet and similar results with the spirulina-enriched diets (Figure 4). Figure 4. Cumulative survival of Nile tilapia after a challenge with Aeromonas hydrophilia fed either betaine (TB), spirulina (TS) or a combination of both (TSB).
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