THE EFFECTS OF PHYTASE IN NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS EXCRETION OF LAYING HENS FED REDUCED PROTEIN LEVELS

Ragip Kastrati, Muhamet Kamberi, Nuridin Mestani, Alltane Kryeziu, Skender Muji

Abstract: Poultry are fed higher levels of dietary protein than most other farm animals. Due to the limited potential to use plant phosphorus, inorganic sources of this mineral are usually used. Though nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are essential for all animals’ proper performance, they are also main pollutants responsible for environmental eutrophication. The reduction of protein level and addition of (NATUPHOS BASF®) phytase in diets of laying hens was studied as a possible way to reduce N and P excretion. Corn-soybean meal laying-hen diet with two crude protein (CP) (14% and 17%) and two phytase levels (0 and 600 FTU kg-1) was fed during eight weeks. Supplemental phytase decreased the total content of excreta N (1.07±0.05, 0.96±0.03, 1.24±0.02, and 1.07±0.06, for hens fed 14% CP- phytase, 14% CP + phytase, 17% CP – phytase, and 17% CP + phytase, respectively). Total excreta P was also affected (1.68±0.02, 1.54±0.04, 1.61±0.03, 1.58±0.03). The experiment’s results indicate that the addition of 600 FTU to corn soybean meal-based layer diets containing 14% CP may signifi cantly decrease the levels of total excreta N and P without any adverse effects on laying hens’ performance.

Keywords: laying hens; nitrogen; phosphorus; phytase; pollution

Date published: 2019-04-09