As a feed additive, betaine has the function of providing methyl donors and can save part of methionine. It has the functions of regulating the osmotic pressure in the body, alleviating stress, promoting fat metabolism and protein synthesis, increasing lean meat rate, and can enhance the efficacy of anticoccidial drugs.

In poultry compound feed, because the first limiting amino acid is methionine, the current large-scale application of betaine in poultry compound feed can not only reduce chicken carcass muscle fat, improve the effect of anticoccidial drugs, and promote growth or egg production. The main reason is that betaine can also provide methyl groups and can save part of methionine, so DL-methionine can be appropriately added to reduce costs.

Betaine has a certain inhibitory effect on the early invasion and development of Eimeria (gimeria) coccidia. Combined with salinomycin, it can prevent E. tenella and Eimeria acervulina ( E.acervulina), reduce the damage to the host intestinal epithelial cells and reduce mortality.