The choline used in commercial broiler feed is an important factor in enhancing growth performance and regulating lipid metabolism. It plays various biological functions in acetylcholine neurotransmitter production in the nervous system, maintenance of cell membranes and organelles, hepatic lipid transport, methyl group donation, and bone cartilage maturation. Its importance in hepatic lipid transport is due to its involvement in phosphatidylcholine synthesis, which forms membranes of cholesterol-carrying lipoproteins (high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein [LDL], and very low-density lipoprotein). It also inhibits fatty acid synthesis by downregulating fatty acid synthase gene expression and attenuating its activity. Choline is called a “lipotropic” factor due to its role in increasing fat utilization, which reduces fat deposition in the body. Young chicks require more quantity of choline, especially during the first few weeks of life, to prevent conditions like perosis and support optimal growth. Laying hens also require choline for egg production and quality.
Synthetic Choline Chloride and Its Limitations
The absence of choline, or levels below the recommendation, increases deleterious effects on poultry health, such as reduction in growth and perosis, especially in younger birds. Choline supplementation is commonly done by synthetic sources, but high hygroscopicity and oxidation with loss of vitamins, its corrosive nature, as well as the trimethylamine formation in the intestinal tract of broilers. Also, less than half of the choline chloride is absorbed by the poultry, which indicates low bioavailability of choline in poultry.
Several studies have explored alternative sources to address these practical issues, particularly plant-based substitutes rich in phosphatidylcholine. Research has been developed to unveil potential substitutes for synthetic sources, and formulations with herbs have been gaining ground with consistent results in hepatoprotective capacity and improvement of performance parameters.
Natural Plant-Based Choline
Plant-based choline sources exhibit the advantage of meeting broilers’ needs with smaller inclusions. Plant sources of commercial use often recommend the inclusion rate of three to five times less raw material compared with choline chloride. They have shown additional benefits, such as reducing serum LDL levels. Being a component of nature, these preparations are considered safe, cost-effective, and environment-friendly with no side effects. They help in the digestion process. Also, their inclusion in the diet is encouraged to enhance the bird’s performance, improve feed utilization, maintain health, and alleviate the adverse effects of environmental stress.
Vincholine, Plant-based Formulation of Enriched Natural Choline for Poultry
Vincholine is a natural choline supplement produced from the blend of Tinospora cordifolia, Andrographis paniculata, and Terminalia chebula in an appropriate ratio. It is recognized in Ayurvedic medicine. It has a high content of choline in its esterified phosphatidylcholine form, free choline, and sphingomyelin with high bioavailability. It can serve as an important alternative to the use of synthetic choline chloride. Results have shown that Vincholine can replace choline chloride in the poultry diets. In field conditions, herbal choline demonstrated better performance than choline chloride in utilizing the energy value of the feed, preventing fatty liver, and consequently improving feed efficiency and production performance.
