Effect of supplementing phytase on piglet performance, nutrient digestibility and bone mineralisation

Incremental levels of the phytase, OptiPhos® Plus, were fed to 150 weaned piglets (five treatments of 30 pigs) to determine the effect on piglet performance, nutrient digestibility and bone mineralisation. Piglets were fed a basal diet from four to six weeks and a pre-starter diet from six to ten weeks of age. The basal diets contained reduced digestible phosphorus (P) and calcium (Ca) (1.5 g/kg digestible P, and Ca 5.5 g/kg and 5.6 g/kg for weaner and pre-starter, respectively) to provide a negative control. Phytase was added at 0, 125, 250, 500 and 1000 phytase units (FTU)/kg feed. Faecal samples were collected at nine weeks of age and analysed for P, Ca and crude protein (CP) content to calculated digestibility. Metacarpal bone IV mineralisation was assessed by ash content and the weight and length of the bone. Incremental increases of phytase improved final body weight (BW) (P