RESUMEN
The aim of this study was to determine the influence of dietary phytase in breeder hens on yolk nutrients, hatchability, chick quality, and growth rate of their progeny, and their subsequent performance to 42 d post-hatch when fed diets with the same phytase concentrations. Breeder hens (n = 216) were divided into 3 groups receiving nutrient-adequate diets with reduced calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) (by 0.16% and 0.15%, respectively), supplemented with either 500, 1500, or 4500 FTU/kg phytase from 27 to 50 weeks of age. Eggs were collected at 38 weeks of age and incubated. On the day of hatch, the chick quality and hatchability were determined, and 18 chicks/group were euthanized for yolk sac collection and the determination of inositol and glycerol concentrations. The remaining chicks were divided into three groups, receiving different diets with reduced Ca and P (by 0.16% and 0.15%, respectively), supplemented with 0, 500, or 1500 FTU/kg phytase to 42 d post-hatch. Increasing the phytase concentration in the breeder hen diet linearly (p < 0.05) increased the number of early embryo deaths and decreased the number of late deaths and pips. The inositol concentration in the yolk sac at day of hatch increased (quadratic; p < 0.05) as the phytase dose increased in the breeder hen diet. The breeder hen diet (p < 0.05) influenced the body weight (BW), feed intake (FI), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) up to 21 days of age. The supplementation of breeder hen diets with 1500 FTU/kg phytase increased the concentration of sodium (Na), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn) in the yolk sac. The inclusion of phytase doses up to 4500 FTU/kg appeared to influence embryo mortality, chick feed intake, and BW gain to 21 days and the FCR throughout the entire production phase.
RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to assess increasing doses of phytase added to broiler diets formulated with different levels of available phosphorus (avP), calcium (Ca), and sodium (Na), and the respective effects on performance parameters, quantitative carcass characteristics, ash and phosphorus deposition in tibia and weight of organs. METHODS: Three different matrices were assumed for phytase with the following nutritional values: matrix A (MT A): 0.165% Ca, 0.150% avP, and 0.035% Na; matrix B (MT B): 0.215% Ca, 0.195% avP, and 0.045% Na; matrix C (MT C): 0.245% Ca, 0.225% avP, and 0.053% Na. There were six different diets: No phytase (formulated to meet the nutritional requirements); phytase 500 FTU/kg+MT A; phytase 1,000 FTU/kg+MT A; phytase 1,500 FTU/kg+MT A; phytase 1,000 FTU/kg+MT B and phytase 1,500 FTU/kg+MT C. RESULTS: There was no significant phytase influence on performance, quantitative carcass characteristics, ash and phosphorus deposition in tibia and weight of the organ throughout the study period, however, it was possible to observe a tendency of improvement in body weight corrected feed conversion for broilers fed the phytase 1,500+MT C diet, where potentially these birds were more efficient on utilize phytic phosphorus and other nutrients bounded to phytate molecule, translating into improvement in performance, and there was also a non significant numerical improvement in body weight corrected feed conversion of broilers fed this diet. CONCLUSION: Broilers fed with diets formulated with different levels of avP, Ca, and Na and increasing doses of phytase have shown no change on performance, quantitative carcass characteristics, ash and phosphorus deposition in tibia and weight of organs.