Digestible calcium equivalency of phytase and nutrient utilization of broiler chickens fed graded levels of limestone or phytase during the starter phase

The current study aimed to quantify the digestible calcium (Ca) equivalency of a new phytase (HiPhorius) in broiler chickens. A total of 1,152 male Cobb 500 broiler chickens were used in an experiment in which 8 diets consisting of graded levels of Ca supplied with limestone or graded levels of the phytase were fed. The 8 dietary treatments were based on a corn-soybean meal diet containing 5.1 g/kg of Ca and 5.1 g/kg of phosphorus (P) as negative control (NC); the NC + 1.3, 2.6, or 3.9 g/kg of Ca from limestone; and the NC + 500, 1,000, 2,000, or 4,000 FYT/kg of phytase. Birds were fed the experimental diets for 3 d (from d 7 to 10) or 14 d (from d 7 to 21) to determine apparent ileal digestibility (AID) and apparent total tract retention (ATTR) of dry matter (DM), CP, Ca, and P. In the 10-day-old birds, increasing the levels of Ca decreased the AID of P and Ca (linear, P < 0.05). Increasing the levels of phytase quadratically improved (P < 0.05) the AID of Ca and P. The AID of DM and CP in the younger birds quadratically increased (P < 0.05) as the levels of Ca increased. There were linear and quadratic effects (P < 0.05) of increasing phytase level for the AID of DM and a linear effect (P < 0.05) for the AID of CP. In the 21-day-old birds, increasing Ca levels resulted in a linear decrease (P < 0.05) in the AID of CP and P, and a quadratic decrease (P < 0.05) in the ATTR of CP. Increasing phytase levels linearly and quadratically (P < 0.05) improved the AID and ATTR of CP, P, and the ATTR of Ca. The analyzed phytase activity in the diets supplemented with phytase ranged from 1,520 to 7,661 FYT/kg. The digestible Ca equivalence for dietary phytase at 1,520 to 7,661 FYT/kg ranged from 1.55 to 2.02 g/kg in the 10-day-old birds fed for 3 d and from 0.52 to 0.64 g/kg in 21-day-old birds fed for 14 d. The results showed the reduction in Ca level that could be accommodated by phytase supplementation, which is markedly different between the younger and older birds. Feeding duration influenced the impact of phytase supplementation on Ca and P digestibility, with better efficacy of phytase observed in the 10-day-old birds fed for 3 d. Also, the results showed the extra-phosphoric effects of phytase on the utilization of other essential nutrients such as protein and Ca.