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Improved phytase efficacy unlocks extra potential


Phytases are extensively used in broiler feeds as they increase amino acid and phosphorus availability during the digestive process, thereby improving growth performance. But can phytases keep up with the continuous demand for increasingly sustainable and cost-effective broiler production?


BY DR YUEMING DERSJANT-LI, DUPONT ANIMAL NUTRITION B 300  200  100  0 1  2  3  4 pH 16 ▶ POULTRY WORLD | No. 5, 2020    6  7


 Competitor 4


roiler production has been continuously expanding to meet the growing global demand for chickens as a primary source of animal protein. To meet the nu- tritional needs of this steadily growing industry,


high-energy diets have been formulated using grain (corn or wheat) and soybean meals. Although these ingredients are rich in phosphorus, it is present in the form of phytate which has limited availability to monogastric animals, such as broil- ers, due to the low levels of endogenous phytase. This has led to feed phosphorus supplementation to minimise carcass re- jection and subsequent economic losses driven by skeletal deformities, bone fractures and mortality. Supplementing broiler feeds with inorganic phosphorus is costly, however, leading to reduced profitability and excess phosphorus excre- tion.


 


 Competitor 1 Competitor 2


Competitor 3


The importance of a good start Early development and growth are particularly fast in chicks. During this starter phase large quantities of minerals are de- posited in the bones, especially phosphorus and calcium, along with magnesium, potassium and zinc. It is vital that bone density increases swiftly to support rapid weight gain. Failure to deliver key elements during the starter phase often has negative carryover health and performance effects dur- ing the following grower and finisher phases. To tackle devel- opmental and performance concerns related to phosphorus deficiency, phytases are added to broilers’ diets. By increasing phosphorus availability in the gut, phytases reduce the need for expensive inorganic phosphorus supplementation. Im- proved phosphorus digestibility also ensures a reduction in the phosphorus load in manure, thereby reducing phospho- rous contamination of soil, surface water and groundwater. Phytases are also key in counteracting the anti-nutritional ef- fects of phytate, particularly removing the growth-impairing binding of phytate with protein and soluble calcium in the gut. Such benefits associated with the use of phytases have encouraged the further development of the enzyme options available on the market. Phytase improves phytate breakdown but the extent of the enzymatic response largely depends on its concentration in the feed and the properties of the phytase used. Distinct commercial phytases exhibit different biochemical and cata- lytic properties which can produce different results when added to broiler feeds. Enzymes with a superior profile in a low and wide pH range ensure that most of the phytate is hy- drolysed and available in the early stages of digestion. Fast phytate hydrolysis in the early sections of the intestinal tract helps to minimise the anti-nutritional effects of phytate.


Small upgrades can go a long way Phytases are continuously evolving to bring more value to broiler feed formulations and to cope with the demands of an ever-growing industry. From the first commercial phytase ex- tracted from fungi, to more effective microbial bacterial phytases, the journey to find new alternatives and to improve existing phytases continues, with positive breakthroughs. A novel phytase, Axtra PHY GOLD, showed remarkable results in releasing phosphorus in vitro and in vivo, particularly in fur- ther improving feed-use efficiency and boosting growth per- formance in broilers’ early life stages. In vitro trials were conducted using five different phytases


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