Effect of Microbial Phytase on Growth Performance and Nutrients Digestibility in Broilers

Hasan Akyurek, Nizamettin Senkoylu and Mehmet Levent Ozduven

The effects of microbial phytase supplementation on growth performance, ileal digestibility of protein and ether extract, amount of excreted phosphorus and bone development was investigated in a 3 weeks trial using 192 mixed sex, day-old Ross 508 broiler chicks fed corn-soybean meal diet. The trial was set up according to completely randomized design. Day-old chicks were randomly distributed into three story cage units with wire floor. Thus, each of dietary treatment had 8 replications in which 8 birds were assigned. Three dietary treatments according to available phosphorus (AP) levels were respectively, A) positive control (0.45% AP), B) negative control (0.35% AP) and C) negative control+Phytase (0.35% AP) in diets. Phytase enzyme was added at 0.5 g/kg level into related feeds. Phytase supplementation did not significantly (P>0.05) affect bird growth performance Phosphorus and calcium availability were significantly (P<0.05) affected by dietary treatments. Supplemental phytase significantly (P<0.05) improved ileal digestibility of crude fat, but did not have any effect on toe ash content.