Betaine, also known as glycine trimethyl inner-salt, is a non-toxic, harmless natural compound quaternary amine alkaloid. Its molecular formula is C5H12NO2, its molecular weight is 118, and its melting point is 293℃. It tastes sweet and is a substance similar to vitamins.

The effect of betaine on beef cattle is mainly as efficient methyl donor to accelerate the β -oxidation of animal cells and the transcription of some protein genes, so as to reduce fat and improve protein deposition. Betaine can promote the growth and improve the carcass quality of beef cattle. Betaine decreased fat synthesis and fat deposition by inhibiting key enzymes of fat synthesis. At the same time, by increasing the content of carnitine, accelerate the β -oxidation of fat, enhance the decomposition of fat. Betaine promotes muscle growth and protein increase, mainly through the regulation of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-L (IGF-1).

Betaine can increase the synthesis amount of carnitine in liver, enhance the transport of fatty acids, promote the β -oxidation of fatty acids in the mitochondria of fat and muscle cells, and thus enhance the activity of lipolytic enzymes in different stages of beef cattle, strengthen the decomposition of fat, and reduce the fat deposition in the body. Betaine significantly decreased the activity of malate dehydrogenase (MDH), but did not significantly affect the action of glucose-6-phosphate deaminase (G-6-P) and isocitrate deaminase (ICD), which stabilized the activity of MDH and prevented it from being greatly changed by lipolysis.