The Effects of Sodium Chloride versus Sodium Bicarbonate at the Same Dietary Sodium Concentration on Efficacy of Dietary Phytase and a Carbohydrase-Protease Cocktail in Broilers

Abstract

ABSTRACT A trial was conducted to determine the effect of phytase (PHY) or a carbohydrase/protease cocktail (CPX) on broilers fed diets with two different levels of chloride (0.28% or 0.43%) created by altering dietary salt (NaCl) and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3). There were 6 combination dietary treatments (3 enzyme x 2 NaCl treatments) applied to 4 replicate pens. The treatments were as follows: Control diet (CON), CON+PHY and CON+CPX, with 0.5% or 0.25% NaCl. The 0.25% NaCl versions contained 0.35% sodium bicarbonate. The 0.5% salt versions had no sodium bicarbonate. Replicate pen BW, and feed consumption (FC) were measured at 1, 14, and 35 d, and mortality was weighed daily for feed conversion ratio (FCR) calculations. Feed consumption at 14 d tended to be lower (p<0.10) for CON+CPX diets compared to CON and CON+PHY diets. The birds fed CON+CPX diet consumed less feed but exhibited improved FCR in the presence of 0.5% NaCl at 14 d. The birds fed the CON, and CON+PHY diets exhibited higher BW at 14 d (p<0.05) and 35 d (p<0.01) of age than did CON+CPX birds. From 15 d to 35 d, birds fed the CON+CPX diet exhibited poorer BW gain (BWG) in the presence of 0.25% NaCl (p<0.05). In conclusion, Cl, as NaCl versus NaH2CO3, could affect CPX but not PHY feed enzyme function in broilers. Further, it may be suggested that certain feed enzymes may be best utilized at later broiler ages rather than in initial feeds.