EFFICACY OF MICROBIAL PHYTASE AT DIFFERENT LEVELS ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND MINERAL AVAILABILITY IN BROILER CHICKEN
Saima, M. Z. U. Khan, M. A. Jabbar, M. Ijaz* and M. A. Qadeer
Department of Food and Nutrition, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore. Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery
Corresponding author email: drsaimanaveed@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
A 4-week feeding trial with 120 day-old broiler (Hubbard) chicks was conducted to determine the efficacy of microbial phytase (Natuphos®
Key words: phytase, broiler, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium ) at different levels on growth performance and mineral availability in broiler chicks fed a low (0.35%) Phosphorus (P) diet. Four levels of microbial phytase (0, 250, 500 and 750 U / kg diet) were added to diets containing M.E. 3000 Kcal/kg and CP 21 %. Phytase supplementation increased (P<0.05) body weight, feed intake, FCR and dressing percentage at 28 day. Supplementation of phytase @ 500 U/kg diet to the low phasphorous diet significantly (P<0.05) improved toe ash percentage. Microbial phytase improved (P<0.05) apparent availability of P, Ca, and Mg. Supplementation of phytase @ 250 U/kg diet was the most economical as cost/kg live weight was lesser than 500 and 750 phytase U/kg diet supplementation. The results showed that microbial phytase supplementation to a low-P diet improved growth performance and apparent mineral availability in broiler chickens. |