[The effect of betain on biology and morphology of developmental stages of Eimeria acervulina in broiler chicks experimentally infected]. / Efeito do uso da betaína na biologia e morfologia dos estádios evolutivos de Eimeria acervulina em frangos de corte infectados experimentalmente com oocistos esporulados.

Purposing to investigate the betaine effect on biology and morphology of developmental stages of Eimeria acervulina, 420 broiler chicks Cobb were experimentally inoculated with 2 x 10(5) sporulated oocysts and housed in battery cages in a block design with five treatments and six replicates each, including a positive control, a group treated with salinomycin and growth promoter plus three levels of betaine as additive in the feed at 0.05, 0.10 and 0.15%. Measurements of oocysts, sporocysts and endogenous stages were performed as morphological parameters, while pre patent and patent periods and sporulation time were taken as biological parameters. Morphology was also associated with the mathematical constant Phi (1.618) to evaluate possible relationship. Betaine was able to cause modifications in both biology and morphology of oocysts and sporocysts, whereas it was weakly able to affect developmental stages based on trophozoites and macrogamonts measurements. According to the measures of sporocysts E. acervulina development was closely related to Phi.