Phytate is not only an unavailable source of phosphorus (P) for broilers but it also acts as an anti-nutrient, reducing protein and mineral absorption, increasing endogenous losses and reducing broiler performance. The objective of this study was to investigate the anti-nutritional effects of phytate by including high levels of phytase in diets not severely limited in available P. A total of 768 male Arbor Acres broilers were distributed in six treatments of eight replicate pens of 16 birds each consisting of a positive control diet (PC), positive control with 500 FTU/kg phytase, negative control (NC) diet with lower available P and calcium (Ca) levels and the same NC diet with 500, 1,000 or 1,500 FTU/kg phytase. Body weight gain (BWG), feed intake (FI), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and mortality were determined at 21 and 35 d of age while foot ash was determined in four birds per pen at 21 d of age. FI, FCR and foot ash where not affected by the lower mineral diets at 21 d of age nor by the enzyme inclusion but broilers fed lower Ca and available P diets had lower BWG. At 35 d of age no difference was observed between broilers fed the positive or NC diets but broilers fed 500, 1,000 and 1,500 FTU/kg on top of the NC diet had better FCR than broilers fed the positive control diet. When compared to birds fed a diet adequate in P, birds fed the same diet included with 500, 1,000 and 1,500 FTU/kg of phytase in marginally deficient available P and Ca diets had an improvement of performance. These results support the concept that hydrolysing phytate and reducing the anti-nutritional effects of phytate improves bird performance on marginally deficient diets that were not covering the P requirement of birds.

Crossbred pigs (n=288; average age=21±3 d and BW=7.1±0.2 kg) were used in a 42-d trial to determine the influence of a microbial phytase and various doses of ZnO on growth performance and serum minerals. Pigs (6 castrated males or females/pen) were randomly allotted to treatments in a 2×3 factorial arrangement with 2 dietary levels of a microbial phytase (0 or 2,500 phytase units/kg) and 3 dietary levels of supplemental ZnO [0, 1750, or 3,500 mg/kg ZnO (72% Zn)] with 4 pens of castrated males and 4 pens of females per treatment. Diets were formulated to exceed all nutrient requirements, including Ca and P from d 0 to 21 (phase 1) and d 22 to 42 (phase 2). Growth performance, serum Zn, and serum P were not influenced (P>0.05) by a ZnO×phytase interaction during phase 1, phase 2, or overall (d 0 to 42). Phytase increased (P=0.01) ADFI and improved (P=0.02) ADG in phase 1 and improved (P=0.01) overall ADG, regardless of the level of ZnO supplemented. Zinc oxide supplementation linearly reduced (P=0.05) ADG, and ZnO at 3,500 mg/kg reduced (quadratic, P=0.04) G:F in pigs (phase 2). During phase 1, phytase increased serum Ca, but only in the absence of ZnO supplementation, which resulted in a ZnO×phytase interaction (P=0.02). Serum Zn was increased (linear, P<0.001) and serum P was decreased (linear, P=0.05) as ZnO supplementation increased in the diet (phase 1). In phase 2, serum Ca was reduced (linear, P=0.04) and serum Zn was increased (linear, P=0.02) as ZnO supplementation increased in the diet. Phytase supplementation increased (P=0.009) serum Zn and increased (P=0.003) serum P (phase 1). There was no influence of phytase supplementation on serum minerals in phase 2. In summary, supplemental ZnO reduced growth performance in this experiment. Phytase supplementation improved ADG in Ca- and P-adequate diets regardless of the level of ZnO supplemented, which may be attributed to the reduction of phytate as an antinutrient. In addition, through phytate hydrolysis, phytase reduced phytate-Zn interactions and increased serum Zn, Ca, and P. However, supplementing ZnO increased serum Zn, which reduced serum P and Ca, indicating Ca-Zn-P precipitation. In addition, phytase increased serum Ca, but only in the absence of Zn, further indicating a complex interaction between Zn, Ca, and P in the blood.

We studied the effects of diet fortified with L-lysine HCl (Lys) and L-arginine (Arg) on stress (transportation) responses in male finishing pigs (Landrace x LargeWhite x Duroc). Pigs (n = 16) were randomly divided into two equally sized groups so that the average starting body weight in the groups was identical. For 1 week immediately preceding the transportation, the first group of pigs received a control diet while the second group received a Lys and Arg fortified diet. Plasma aminogram, cortisol and body weight were evaluated. Behavior of pigs was measured with the help of a video camera, recorded for 2 h at the same time, as on the day, before a day and immediately after transportation. The study revealed main stimulatory effects of transportation and main inhibitory effect of Lys and Arg on plasma cortisol (P < 0.05) without transportation x treatment interactions. Pigs fed with Lys and Arg diet tend to have higher body weight at the end of the experiment, when compared to their normally fed counterparts, but the difference did not reach a significant level (P < 0.21). Lys and Arg diet significantly inhibited stress-induced increase in locomotion (P < 0.05), without affecting feeding pattern. Transportation stress decreased plasma Lys and Arg. This decrease was reversed in the fortified group, and what is more the plasma Lys and Arg levels were significantly higher than in controls (P < 0.05). Lys and Arg enhanced plasma urea production (P < 0.05), without regards to stress. The behavioral results indicate a reduction in stress-induced anxiety in pigs fed with Lys and Arg fortified diet, that parallels similar observations in research with rats and broilers. The mechanism probably involves a decreased plasma cortisol, and/or normalized plasma Lys, Arg levels.

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The effects of fortifying a diet with L‐lysine HCl (Lys) and L‐arginine (Arg) in broilers housed under conditions of high stock density, were studied in an experiment that measured bodyweight, feed intake, feed conversion, body temperature, serum protein, immune parameters and neutrophils. A diet fortified with Lys and Arg increased bodyweight gain in broilers housed under high stock density conditions, but not in normally housed controls. The diet fortified with Lys and Arg decreased the feed conversion ratio and abdominal fat, as compared to the effects of a control diet, without regard to housing conditions. No effects of amino acid fortification or stock density on body temperature, serum protein or immune parameters were recorded. The results indicate that an increase in the dietary supply of Lys and Arg is beneficial to broilers during stressful conditions of high stock density, potentially contributing to an enhancement of animal welfare in broiler farms.