Supplementation of Corn–Soy-Based Diets with an Eschericia coli-Derived Phytase: Effects on Broiler Chick Performance and the Digestibility of Amino Acids and Metabolizability of Minerals and Energy

The effect of the supplementation of diets containing low available P concentrations with low and supra-activities of an Eschericia coli 6-phytase was assessed using growing broiler chicks. A total of 384 female Ross broiler chicks were weighed at d 1 of life and assigned to 1 of 8 experimental treatments. There were 12 replicate cages with 4 chicks per cage, and the diets were fed from d 1 of life for a period of 16 d. A positive control diet (5 g/kg of available P) and a negative control diet (3 g/kg of available P) were used, and 6 more diets were manufactured by supplementing the negative control diet with 150, 300, 600, 1,200, 2,400, and 24,000 U/kg of exogenous phytase. Body weight gain and feed conversion ratios were determined, as were nutrient digestibility coefficients and toe ash values. Birds fed the negative control diet had lower (P < 0.05) weight gains than those fed the positive control diet. The addition of exogenous phytase above 150 U/kg improved (P < 0.05) weight gain, toe ash percentage, and nutrient utilization of the birds fed the negative control diet. Furthermore, the 24,000 U/kg of diet improved (P < 0.05) toe ash percentage and the utilization of several nutrients beyond that of the lower doses of phytase. It can be concluded that the supplementation of diets containing 3 g/kg of available P with exogenous phytase can improve the performance of chicks to that of birds fed a diet containing 5 g/kg of available P. In addition, the use of high doses of phytase (> 1,000 U/kg of diet) can improve nutrient availability in poultry diets beyond that of diets containing lower (< 1,000 U/kg) phytase activities. These results may be mediated partially by reduced endogenous loss as well as an increase in the availability of dietary nutrients as indicated by improvements in digestibility coefficients.