Comparison of methodologies to quantify phytate phosphorus in diets containing phytase and excreta from broilers

Area of Science:

• Animal Nutrition
• Analytical Chemistry
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Accurate quantification of phytate phosphorus (Pphy) in broiler feed and excreta is essential for determining phytase efficacy.
• Phytase supplementation improves phosphorus utilization but requires precise analytical methods for efficiency calculation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare colorimetry and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for quantifying Pphy.
• To determine the most appropriate methodology for calculating phytase efficiency in broilers.
• To evaluate the impact of phytase levels and broiler sex on Pphy metabolism.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of two analytical methods: colorimetry and HPLC-RI.
• Factorial arrangement experiment with 120 broilers, 5 diets (varying phytase levels), and 2 sexes.
• Measurement of Pphy content in feed and excreta to calculate retention and excretion coefficients.

Main Results:

• Colorimetric methodology with a 1:20 extraction ratio was identified as the most adequate for Pphy quantification.
• Increasing dietary phytase levels linearly reduced Pphy excretion (p<0.01).
• Maximum Pphy retention of 87.85% was achieved at 1,950 FTU/kg phytase, allowing a reduction of 2.86 g P/kg feed.

Conclusions:

• The colorimetric method is suitable for accurate Pphy analysis in broiler nutrition studies.
• Phytase supplementation effectively reduces Pphy excretion and enhances phosphorus retention in broilers.
• Optimized phytase levels can significantly reduce the need for inorganic phosphorus supplementation in broiler diets.