Effect of phytase supplementation on the performance of broilers grown to marked weights

ABSTRACT

An experiment was conducted using day-old Hubbard broilers in order to study the effect of microbial phytase on their performance in a commercial farm for 39 days. A control diet adequate in non-phytate phosphorus [0.5%] was fed to one house with 14751 birds. An experimental diet low in non-phytate phosphorus [0.4%] was fed to another house of 15345 birds after being modified using the matrix values for Ronozyme PCT [phytase]. The measured parameters included body weight gain, feed conversion, mortality, profit per bird, tibia ash [total ash, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and zinc percentages], serum calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase as well as fecal calcium and phosphorus output. The results suggested that dietary phosphorus can be reduced without a serious effect on the skeleton of broilers. Phytase would have other benefit by reducing the cost of the diet as well as improving the birds live weight gain, in addition to reducing the environmental pollution as manifested by a reduced fecal phosphorus output