title: Effect of microbial phytase on production performance of White Leghorn layers fed on a diet low in non-phytate phosphorus.
abstract: 1. An experiment with 150 White Leghorn layers was conducted to examine the effect of microbial phytase supplementation of low non-phytate phosphorus (NPP) diets on egg production, eggshell quality, bone mineralisation and retention of nutrients at 32-48 weeks of age. 2. Four isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets were formulated to contain 1.2, 1.8, 2.4 and 3.0 g NPP/kg diet with the two lowest NPP (1.2 and 1.8) supplemented with microbial phytase (Biofeed Phytase, India) at 500 FTU per kg diet. Each diet was offered ad libitum to 5 replicates of 5 layers throughout the experiment. 3. Body weight gain was reduced significantly in the layers fed on the 1.2 g/kg NPP diet as compared to those given diets containing 1.8-3.0 g/kg. Addition of phytase to the 1.2 g/kg diet significantly enhanced the body weight and was comparable with those given diets containing 1.8-3.0 g/kg NPP. 4. No additional advantage resulted from enhancing the NPP levels beyond 1.8 g/kg or adding phytase to a diet containing 1.8 g/kg NPP. 5. Hen d egg production, food intake, food efficiency, shell weight, shell thickness, shell strength and tibia strength followed the same trends as above. However, adding phytase to the 1.8 g/kg NPP diet significantly enhanced tibia ash. Egg weight, specific gravity and Haugh units were influenced by neither NPP concentration nor phytase supplementation. 6. Adding phytase to the 1.2 g/kg NPP diet significantly enhanced nitrogen and phosphorus retention. 7. It was concluded that addition of 500 FTU of microbial phytase/kg diet can allow the reduction of NPP content to 1.2g/kg in the layer diet, eliminate inorganic phosphorus supplementation and results in significant reduction of nitrogen and phosphorus excretion without affecting the production performance of layers.
authors.affiliation: Project Directorate on Poultry, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, India. akpanda59@rediffmail.com
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Panda
authors.forename: S V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Rama Rao
authors.forename: M V L N
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Raju
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Bhanja
mesh_terms: D010832:6-Phytase / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000821:Animal Feed; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002645:Chickens / Q000502:physiology*; D004032:Diet; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D010058:Oviposition / Q000187:drug effects; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010833:Phytic Acid
chemical_list: D010758:Phosphorus; D010833:Phytic Acid; D010832:6-Phytase; D002118:Calcium