J. Env. Bio-Sci., 2015: Vol.

29 (2):449-450
(449) ISSN 0973-6913 (Print), ISSN 0976-3384 (On Line)

REDUCING THE PHOSPHORUS EXCRETION IN BROILER CHICKENS THROUGH

PHYTASE ENZYME IN CORN - SOYA BASED DIET
R. Kavitha
Animal Feed Analytical and Quality Assurance Laboratory,
Veterinary College and Research Institute, Namakkal -637002, Tamil Nadu
[E-mail: vetkavi2004@gmail.com]

Received: 05-08-2015 Accepted: 24-09-2015

The vegetable feed ingredients contain nearly two thirds of phosphorus as phytates. The phytates are not only unavailable but
also interfere with utilization of other nutrients. Many studies show that the phosphorus excretion by pigs and poultry can be
reduced by 30 percent by including phytase in their diets. A study was conducted to study the phosphorus excretion in poultry for
a period of 42 days (T1- As control (without phytase) and T2- (300 IU/kg) and T3 - 600 IU/kg). After 42 days bone ash content was
analyzed for phosphorus content. A significant difference in phytate phosphorus degradation was observed in T3 group. Further
significant increase in phosphorus balance was noticed in the both the treatment groups when compared with control.

The vegetable feed ingredients used in the poultry feed
preparation contain nearly two thirds of the phosphorus as
phytates. Around 70-80 per cent of the phosphorus in the
cereal grains and oil seeds exists in the form of phytic acid1.
Phytic acid is the main storage form of phosphorous in plants.
Phytate (phytic acid), myoinositol hexakis dihydrogen
phosphate, is a normal component of all seeds. Among the
feedstuffs it is highest in cereal byproducts (73-84 per cent)
followed by oil seed meals (51-82 per cent), cereals and millets
(60-73 per cent)2. In general phytate phosphorus is mostly
unavailable to birds. Bioavailability of phytate phosphorus in
maize and soybean meal for poultry range from 10 to 30 per
cent3-4. Phytic acid being a reactive cation can form salts
with nutritionally important minerals like Zn2+, Ni2+, Co2+, Mn2+,
Ca2+, and Fe2+ with decreasing order of stability and these
complexes appear to be resistant to the digestive process5.
The phosphorus excretion by pigs and poultry can be reduced
by 30 per cent by including phytase in their diets6.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Ninety days old Vencobb broiler chicks (straight run) belonging
to a single hatch were used for this experiment. The birds
were weighed individually and distributed randomly to the three
experimental groups with three replicates of ten chicks each.
The birds were housed in deep litter pens and standard feeding
(ad lib) and managemental practices were followed throughout
the experimental period. The phytase enzyme was included
in the rations of treatment groups as follows. T 1 - Control
(without enzyme), and T2 -control + (300 IU/kg) and T3 - control
+ 600 IU/kg).The ingredient and nutrient compositions of basal
diets are given in the Table-1. At the end of six week of age,
six birds from each treatment were slaughtered and the left
tibial bone from all slaughtered birds were removed, dried over
night in a hot air oven at 700C and defatted with petroleum
ether and analyzed for their total ash, calcium and phosphorus
content7. The data were statistically analyzed as per standard
statistical procedure8.
RESULTS AND DISSCUSSION
The influence of enzymes addition on bone mineral metabolism
in terms of bone weight (g/kg live weight), tibial bone ash,
calcium and phosphorus content are presented in Table-2.The
mean values of tibial bone ash (per cent) were 50.38, 52.67
and 53.83 in treatment groups T 1 to T 3 respectively. No
significant difference was observed between enzymes added
groups and control group. However, the enzymes added groups
had a numerically higher tibial bone ash compared to the
control group. These results agree with the earlier findings9.
Who also reported that supplementation of phytase to corn
soya based broiler diet numerically increased the tibial ash
content by 0.9 -2.8 per cent. The mean value of tibial bone
phosphorus as percent of total ash for the groups T1 to T3 was
12.40, 11.81, and 12.65 respectively. There was numerical
increase in tibial bone phosphorus in T2 and T3. But the results
were not significant. But some workersobserved significant
increase in bone phosphorus content due to the

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 KAVITHA
Table-1 . The composition of broiler pre starter diet,
starter, finisher diet (% DM basis).
supplementation of NSP degrading enzymes to corn soya
based broiler diet9. Some authors have also reported a
significant increase in the bone calcium and phosphorus content
due to the supplementation of phytase to broiler diet10-11. The
mean (per cent) phosphorus balance in birds fed diets T1 to T3
was 38.60 40.89 and 41.07 per cent respectively. Significantly
(P<0.05) increased phosphorus balance was noticed in T 2
and T3 groups when compared to T1, In the entire enzymes
added groups phosphorus balance was either significantly or
numerically higher than the control group. The increase in
phosphorus balance could be due to the enhanced break down
of phytate phosphorus present in the vegetable feed
ingredients by phytase. Similarly, other workers in their study,
supplementing NSP degrading enzymes either alone or in
combination with phytase to corn soya based broiler diet
observed a maximum improvement of phosphorus balance
by 5.8 per cent over the control9. Many authors have reported
a significant increase in the phosphorus retention due to the
supplementation of phytase to broiler diet10-13.
CONCLUSION
A significant difference in phytate phosphorus degradation was
observed in T3 - control + 600 IU/kg group. Further significant
increase in phosphorus balance was noticed in the both the
treatment groups when compared with control. The present
study indicates that phosphorus excretion can be reduced
through the use of phytase in feed.
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(450)
Table-2 . Effect of different levels of enzymes addition
on tibial bone weight, tibial bone ash, calcium
and phosphorus in broiler chickens.
Each value is a mean of six observations.
* Means with atleast one common superscript in a
column do not differ significantly (P<0.05)
Indian J. Poult. Sci., 33: 86.
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