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Calcium and available phosphorus levels in diets supplemented with phytase for broilers in the growing and finishing phases

Calcium and available phosphorus (aP) levels in diets with phytase for Cobb broilers in the growing (22 to 35 days) and finishing phases (36 to 42 days of age) were evaluated. A 3 × 4 + 1 factorial scheme, with three aP levels (0.36, 0.31, 0.26% in the growing phase and 0.33, 0.28, 0.23% in the finishing phase), four calcium levels (0.82, 0.72, 0.62, 0.52% in the growing phase and 0.76, 0.66, 0.56, 0.46% in the finishing phase), and one level of supplementation of phytase (500 ftu/kg) was used. Control diets were not supplemented with phytase and they contained, respectively, the following levels of aP and calcium: 0.41 and 0.82% (growing phase) and 0.38 and 0.76 (finishing phase). In the performance assays, at 35 and 42 days of age, feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion and the ash content in the tibia were evaluated. In the metabolic assays, the energy values of diets (AMEn) and dry matter digestibility coefficients (DMDC) were determined. In the growing phase, the reduction of the calcium and aP to 0.52 and 0.26%, respectively, did not compromise performance, bone ash, AMEn or MCDM. In the finishing phase, the reduction of the calcium and aP to 0.56 and 0.28%, respectively, did not compromise performance, AMEn or MCDM; in addition to improving bone ash. The levels of calcium and aP of diet can be reduced to 0.52 and 0.26% in the growing phase, and to 0.56 and 0.28% in the finishing phase, provided that this reduction is combined with supplementation of fitase at 500 ftu/kg of the diet.

bone ash; enzyme; metabolism; nutritional requirements; performance


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