Influence of supplemental phytase on calcium and phosphorus utilization in laying hens

A 6-wk study was conducted to determine the influence of supplemental phytase on Ca and P utilization in commercial laying hens. Diets were arranged factorially with three levels of dietary Ca (2.5, 2.8, and 3.1%), fed at two levels of nonphytate P (0.1 and 0.3% NPP) with and without supplemental phytase. Each diet was replicated eight times, with 16 hens per replicate. Criteria evaluated included egg specific gravity, feed consumption, egg production, egg weight, eggshell weight, bone quality, and body weight. Increasing dietary Ca significantly improved shell quality within 1 wk. A significant improvement in shell quality due to phytase supplementation was also observed during the 1st wk. Increasing NPP from 0.1 to 0.3% had not effect on egg specific gravity until Week 3, suggesting that the phytase benefit during Weeks 1 and 2 was related to improved Ca utilization. From Weeks 3 to 6, a significant P by phytase interaction was observed in which the magnitude of shell quality improvement was greatest when the 0.1% NPP diet was supplemented with phytase. This interaction was also observed from Weeks 3 to 6 for feed consumption and egg production and during Weeks 4 and 6 for egg weights. Phytase supplementation completely overcame the adverse effects associated with low dietary P and significantly reduced the impact of low dietary Ca on hen performance.