Influence of betaine on milk yield and composition in primiparous lactating dairy goats

Glycine betaine (betaine) is a naturally occurring compound which is increasingly being used in animal nutrition. Betaine has methyl donor and osmoprotective properties, and methyl groups are essential in the nervous, immune, renal and cardiovascular system. A trial was designed to study the effect of betaine added to the diet on milk production, somatic cell counts (SCC) and the physical–chemical characteristics of goat milk. Seventy-four primiparous lactating goats were selected from a commercial Murciano–Granadina goat herd under good management practices. From the 74 goats selected, two homogenous groups of 30 goats free of intramammary infection were used in the trial. One group was fed the control diet, and the other the same diet containing 4 g kg−1 betaine. Treatment was administered from 10 days before parturition and continued through the 5 month lactation period. After 5 months, the results obtained showed that betaine increased (P < 0.05) milk yield 0.28 kg per day in the betaine group and the percentage of milk fat was greater (P < 0.05) for the betaine group (4.69% versus 4.40% for betaine and control groups, respectively). Betaine, however, did not modify milk SCC during lactation. Higher values (P < 0.05) for short chain fatty acids (FA) (C8:0, C10:0, C10:1 and C12:0) and for C18:3 in milk were found for goats supplemented with betaine. Oral betaine supplementation to lactating goats modify the profile of short chain fatty acid in goat milk. © 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.