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The objectives were to develop equations for predicting ileal digestible phosphorus (P) based on nonphytate P, phytate P, calcium to nonphytate P ratio, and exogenous phytase concentrations in broiler diets and to evaluate the accuracy of the models. The modified Michaelis–Menten model was used to predict apparent ileal digestible (AID) or standardized ileal digestible P in broiler diets. Two different methods were used to analyze 25 published ileal digestible P data to evaluate the accuracy of the equation for predicting AID P. The first method assessed mean and linear biases. While the mean bias was significant (P < 0.05), the linear bias was not significant. The second method involved regressing the 25 AID P data against those predicted by the current model. The results showed that the intercept and slope of the regression were not statistically different from 0 and 1, respectively. This suggests that the current equation accurately represents the test data. In conclusion, the accuracy of the model depends on validation processes. Considering that the current model was developed using various phytase products, it would be preferable to use an equation that is based on a single phytase product if requisite quantity of data is available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coccidiosis is an infectious parasitic disease. Increasing drug resistance and variable vaccine effectiveness have stimulated interests in developing alternate control strategies. Our research studied the effects of dietary supplementation of multienzyme (phytase, xylanase, β-glucanase, amylase, hemicellulase, and pectinase) in broiler chickens infected with coccidial pathogens by assessing (i) nutrient utilization, immunological response, and gut health-related indicators in small intestine; and (ii) intestinal microbiome modulations. One-day-old male Ross 708 chicks were assigned to 4 treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement comprising of 0 or 50 g·kg−1 multienzyme and oral challenge with phosphate buffer saline or mixed Eimeria spp. oocysts (250000 E. acervulina, 50000 E. maxima, and 50000 E. tenella). Multienzyme reduced (P < 0.05) Eimeria-induced loss in feed efficiency and nutrient utilization, partially explained by reduced decrease of b0,+ amino acid transporter in jejunum. Multienzyme suppressed (P < 0.05) the overexpression of interleukin-8 in duodenum and jejunum and ameliorated (P = 0.05) the decreased expression of antioxidant heme oxygenase 1 in ileum induced by Eimeria infection. Multienzyme facilitated (P < 0.01) the bloom of short-chain fatty acid-producing and fiber-degrading microbes. Multienzyme supplementation partly mitigated the adverse effects of Eimeria infection through multiple mechanisms: improving nutrient utilization, reducing local inflammation, and restoring microbial homeostasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The digestible energy (DE) and metabolizable energy (ME) in faba beans (FB) and field peas (FP) fed to growing pigs were estimated by the difference procedure in two experiments using the total collection method. Twenty-four barrows with mean initial body weight (BW) of 20.0 kg (SD = 1.13) and 20.4 kg (SD = 0.56) in the first (Exp. 1) and second experiments (Exp. 2), respectively, were assigned to three dietary treatments in a randomized complete block design with BW as a blocking factor. A reference diet was prepared using corn, soybean meal, and soybean oil as the energy-contributing ingredients. Organic FB and DS Admiral FP (FPD) in Exp. 1 and Hampton FP (FPH) and 4010 FP (FP4) in Exp. 2 were included at 30% in the reference diet. In Exp. 1, the determined DE and ME were 3772 and 3606 kcal·kg−1 dry matter (DM) in FB and 3683 and 3589 kcal·kg−1 DM in FPD, respectively. In Exp. 2, the respective DE and ME were 4164 and 4014 kcal·kg−1 DM in FPH and 3574 and 3467 kcal·kg−1 DM in FP4. In conclusion, the determined ME values for FB and FP were 77% to 90% of gross energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]