Twenty-eight male pigs averaging 28.95 kg were used to determine endogenous fecal losses, true absorption and phosphorus bioavailability in different phosphorus sources. The experiment was arranged in randomized blocks, with seven treatments and four repplicates and one pig/box. The diets were corn and soybean meal-based and the phosphorus (P) was supplemented through different phosphate sources: dicalcium (FBC), monodicalcium (MBC), triple superphosphate (ST), simple superphosphate (SS), Catalão rock (ROCHA) and phosphoric acid (AcF) and diet control without supplemental P (CONT). Phosphorus intake, excretion through feces and urine, retention and absorption were lower in the diet with smaller phosphorus level. Supplemental inorganic P did not affect intake, endogenous fecal P and retained P. However, the P excretion in the feces was smaller for the animals fed SS and greater for those fed ROCHA. P excretion in the urine was greater for the animals fed AcF and smaller for those fed ROCHA. It can be concluded P bioavailability was of 43.82, 89.44, 82.65, 76.90, 98.73, 90.03, and 63.26 for the treatments CONT, FBC, MBC, ST, SS, AcF and ROCHA, respectively.
absorption; metabolism; nutrition; P32; radiophosphorus; swine
