Efficacy of Phytase Preparations to Improve P Availability in Young Turkeys

Phytate phosphorus of plant ingredients is not substantially available to poultry because of the lack of endogenous phytase enzymes in their gastrointestinal tract. There are substantial differences among broilers, turkeys, and ducks in terms of plant P utilization. We studied whether the availability of P is different for two Phytase enzymes in turkeys. Finase and a New Phytase product developed recently were tested in 3 to 5 week old turkeys. The efficacy of Finase and the New Phytase were determined on the basis of P balance and tibia data. A low P maize soybean meal based diet was supplemented at 0, 250 and 500 FTU/kg levels of Finase and 0, 250, 500 and 750 FTU/kg of the New Phytase. Excretions were collected in a balance trial and tibia parameters were obtained after the turkeys had received their respective diets for 17 days. Utilization of P from the basal diet was 35.5% which significantly improved by Finase to a maximum of 47.3% and by the New Phytase to a maximum of 48.7% at the highest level of supplementation. The utilization of Ca did not improve. Tibia ash concentration improved by Finase and the New Phytase supplementation. It is concluded that the Finase and the New Phytase efficiently improve the utilization of P in turkeys and may help protect the environment by causing a reduction in excretion P