Abstract
A total of 144 finishing pigs (72 barrows and 72 gilts, initially 85 lb) were used to determine the effects of calcium to total phosphorus (Ca:P) ratio in diets containing phytase on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and bone ash percentage. Pigs were housed in an environmentally regulated finishing building with two pigs per pen and six pens per sex per treatment in a randomized complete block design. Pigs were blocked by initial weight and sex, and then allotted to one of six dietary treatments.
Highlights
Phytase releases phytic phosphorus from plant-based feedstuffs, which increases dietary P absorption and utilization and reduces the need for inorganic phosphorus supplementation
The greatest decrease in ADG and F/G was observed when calcium to total phosphorus (Ca):P ratio increased from 1.5:1 to 2:1
Feed intake was not affected by Ca:P ratio
Summary
Phytase releases phytic phosphorus from plant-based feedstuffs, which increases dietary P absorption and utilization and reduces the need for inorganic phosphorus supplementation. It has been widely demonstrated that dietary supplementation with phytase is effective in making phytate-bound P nutritionally available to growing pigs. Supplemental phytase in swine diets has resulted in improved growth performance and bone mineralization by increasing digestibility and retention of P and Ca. Because phytase use reduces P excretion and the levels of P in the environment, its use has been more widespread. Research conducted using weanling pigs showed that narrowing the dietary Ca:tP ratio from 2.0:1 to 1.2:1 led to an approximate 16% increase in phytase efficacy, improving performance, digestibility, bone measurements, and serum Ca levels. It has been demonstrated that growth performance and P utilization were increased by lowering the Ca:tP ratio from 1.5:1 to 1.0:1 in low-P corn-soybean meal diets supplemented with microbial phytase in grow-finish pigs
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