October 25, 2005

 

More lean meat with Danisco's natural extract from sugarbeet
 

 

Pigs treated with porcine somatotropin (pST) have demonstrated their ability to lay down 7 percent more lean carcass tissue a day when fed a diet supplemented with betaine (Betafin® - Danisco Animal Nutrition), a natural plant extract.

 

Trials at the Victorian Institute of Animal Science at Werribee in Australia showed that boars treated with pST alone, deposited 31 percent more lean tissue a day than non-pST treated animals. Betaine alone increased daily carcass lean gain by 13 percent compared with pigs fed diets containing no betaine.

 

In the study, boars had average feed intakes of 2.7 kg/day over a 35-day period before slaughter. This figure was at the upper end of feed consumption normally seen under commercial conditions in Australia, illustrating that betaine's energy-boosting properties offered even greater potential to improve pig performance on the farm.

 

Dr Gary Partridge, Technical Services Director, Danisco Animal Nutrition, commented,

 

"Betaine accumulates in animal cells where it attracts water, protecting the pig from dehydration and allowing it to maintain its water balance in a more energy-efficient way. This means that the pig uses less energy to maintain its water balance and therefore more energy can be used for lean growth. The study clearly demonstrates that betaine and pST, on their own or in combination, can increase lean tissue growth rate.

 

"On many commercial units, for various reasons, energy intake is limiting. Dietary betaine can help fill this energy deficit, providing some of the energy needed to fuel lean tissue growth. This can be particularly useful for producers wanting to reap the benefit of pST because betaine will help boost energy levels, countering the tendency for feed intake to drop in pST-treated pigs. For producers who cannot or do not wish to use pST, betaine can still improve carcass lean gain, particularly in improved genotypes that have been selected for high rates of lean tissue deposition."

 

Danisco Animal Nutrition, a division of leading global food ingredient specialist Danisco A/S (Denmark), pioneered the development and use of enzymes and betaine in animal nutrition. Their products are now widely used by poultry and pig producers throughout the world. The company's mission is to deliver innovative, sustainable solutions that increase the efficiency and safety of the food production chain in an environmentally responsible way. Further details are available at www.danisco.com/animalnutrition
 

For further information, please contact:

 

Andrea Barletta,                                      Julian Cooksley,

Global Marketing Director,                       Account Manager,

Danisco Animal Nutrition.                   Kendalls Communications.

Tel: +44 (0) 1672 517777                  Tel: +44 (0) 1394 610022

Email: andrea.barletta@danisco.com  Email:julian.cooksley@kendallscom.co.uk