Table 5.

Influence of betaine supplementation on lesion scores of broilers challenged with coccidia^1,2,3,4.

Betaine	Duodenum (D)	Upper jejunum (UJ)	Lower jejunum (LJ)	Total (D+UJ+LJ)	Ceca
No	2.63	1.56	0.63	4.82	1.25
Yes	1.56	1.25	0.13	2.94	1.81
Probability, P =	0.01	0.67	0.02	0.04	0.39

^a,bMeans in the same column followed by different superscripts differ (P < 0.05).

¹Each mean represents values from 8 replicates (8 birds/replicate). Birds were challenged on day 14 and lesions were scored on day 21. Lesion scoring on day 21 confirmed that there were no lesions in the unchallenged birds.

²Lesions were scored on a scale of 0 to 4, as per the procedures of Johnson and Reid (1970); zero representing no gross lesions and 4 representing extensive haemorrhage or lesions (depending on the Eimeria species).

³No lesions were found in the intestine or ceca of the unchallenged treatments.

⁴Lesion scoring was analyzed using Pearson chi-square test to identify significant differences between treatments.