Effect of the replacement of phytase enzyme with a microbial supplement with phytase activity on performance, blood parameters, and bone strength of broiler chicks fed phosphorus-deficient diets

Document Type : Full Research Paper

Authors

Animal science Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi university of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

Abstract

Introduction:The use of microbial potential to degrade indigestible feed materials is an alternative approach to enzyme consumption. Therefore, the use of a microbial supplement with phytase activity (Lactozyme®) was evaluated on growth performance in broiler chickens.
Methods:A total of 324 Ross 308 broiler chickens were studied in a completely randomized design with 6 treatments, 6 replicates, and 9 birds per replicate. The treatments included three diets include of standard, 25% and 30% phosphorus deficiency, to which microbial supplement(10^8CFU) or phytase enzyme(Microtek 10000) was added to each diet.
Results:The use of commercial phytase enzyme or Lactozyme supplement in the standard diet did not show a difference in daily growth rate during various periods; however, in the deficient diets, the daily growth rate in the entire period was significantly lower microbial treatments compared to enzyme treatments. On day 24, the average body weight in the 25% deficiency treatment containing the enzyme was significantly higher than the deficiency treatments containing Lactozyme. Similarly, at 35 days of age, the average body weight in the deficiency treatments containing Lactozyme was significantly lower than in the deficiency treatments containing phytase. However, the deficiency treatments containing Lactozyme did not show a significant difference from the standard treatment containing it. During the grower phase, the feed conversion ratio of the 25% deficiency treatment containing Lactozyme was significantly higher than that of the corresponding treatment containing the enzyme. The calcium-to-phosphorus ratio in the blood of birds consuming the microbial supplement in the deficient diets was more balanced than the other treatments.
Conclusion:The consumption of Lactozyme displayed a good growth performance and feed conversion in diets with up to 30% lower than the standard available phosphorus, with no signs of deficiency in the birds. Therefore, considering the matrix value of the supplement, its use instead of phytase enzyme is suggested.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Veterinary Research & Biological Products
Volume 38, Issue 4
January 2026
Pages 44-51

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 19 January 2025
  • Revise Date: 30 May 2025
  • Accept Date: 03 June 2025

Share

How to cite

Statistics