Reducing the use of phosphate in feed can increase the security of raw material supply, cut costs and reduce farming’s environmental impact. But can this be done effectively without compromising bird health and welfare?
Exogenous feed enzymes are commonly used in commercial monogastric diets to enhance nutrient and energy digestibility by reducing the impact of antinutritional factors, releasing additional nutrients or both.
Feeding broilers a high dose of a bacterial 6-phytase alongside a xylanase-glucanase enzyme combination resulted in performance improvements and cost savings, in a field study.
Nutritionists know there is often an “ideal level” when dosing feed enzymes. The challenge is determining this level in the feed matrix for optimal response and measurable economic benefits.
Phytases traditionally have been used to increase available dietary phosphorus in poultry and other animal diets, but a growing body of evidence is showing that their effects can be much broader.
Using the commercial feed enzyme β-mannanase can improve energy digestibility of corn-soy feed for chickens, both alone and in combination with xylanase and glucanase, research by São Paulo State University scientists in collaboration with BASF suggests.
