Department of Animal Nutrition, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar - 125 004, India.
*Present Address: Sheep Breeding Farm, F.V.Sc. & A.H., SKUAST (K), Shuhama (Alusteng), Srinagar-190006, J&K, India.
An experiment was conducted on day-old broiler chicks (n=480) to determine the effects of phytase supplementation on the growth performance and economics of broiler production. Phytase was supplemented (750 phytase units/kg diet) by replacing dicalcium phosphate (0% and 100%) to the maize and/or wheat based diets containing two levels (0.30% and 0.50%) of non-phytate phosphorus (NPP). Reducing dietary NPP significantly (P<0.05) depressed feed intake and body weight gain. Phytase supplementation to low NPP diets improved (P<0.05) growth performance, replaced dicalcium phosphate completely and safely, lowered feed cost and economized broiler production in terms of feed cost per unit live weight gain. The supplemental phytase was more effective in maize based ration that wheat based.
