DIETARY-EFFECT OF PHYTOGENIC PHYTASE AND AN ADDITION OF MICROBIAL PHYTASE TO A DIET BASED ON FIELD BEANS, WHEAT, PEAS AND BARLEY ON THE UTILIZATION OF PHOSPHORUS, CALCIUM, MAGNESIUM, ZINC AND PROTEIN IN PIGLETS

The effect of the addition of microbial phytase to a diet based on fie ld beans (30 %), wheat (28 %), peas (25 %), and barley (14 %) was stud ied in a 2-week experiment with 3 x 8 castrated male, individually hou sed, hybrid piglets (live weight range 12-16 kg). All diets contained about 4.7 g Ca, 4.2 g P (77 % present as phytate phosphorus), 1.0 g Mg , 60 mg Zn per kg diet, and 17 % crude protein. Group I was fed the ba sal diet with a. native phytase-activity of about 260 U per kg diet. I n group II, 350 U, in group III, 700 U of microbial phytase per kg die t were added. The addition of microbial phytase improved the apparent P absorption (% of intake) from 48 % (group I) to 66 % (group II) and 71 % (group III). Comparable positive effects from the phytase treatme nt were obtained for the calcium utilization. The phytase supplementat ion also enhanced plasma zinc concentration significantly. The concent ration of inorganic phosphorus in plasma, the zinc digestibility, and the magnesium balance were improved in tendency. The utilization of ni trogen remained unchanged.