Research Note: Evaluation of phytic acid disappearance, ileal P digestibility, and total tract P retention in canola meal supplemented with increasing levels of exogenous phytase using conventional and cecectomized precision-fed roosters and growing chicks.

Apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of P, apparent total tract retention (ATTR) of P, and phytic acid disappearance in canola meal were evaluated in the presence of increasing levels of exogenous phytase. In Experiment 1, a precision-fed rooster assay was used to determine phytic acid (myo-inositol 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexakis; InsP6 ) and inositol phosphate (InsP6-3 ; InsP-P) disappearance in conventional and cecectomized Leghorn roosters. Roosters were crop intubated with 25 g of canola meal mixed with 0, 500, 1,000, or 2,000 FTU/kg of exogenous phytase. In Experiment 2, InsP6 and InsP-P disappearance and AID and ATTR of P were determined using ad libitum-fed broiler chickens. Treatments consisted of semi-purified diets containing 45% canola meal as the sole source of P. Phytase was added to increase phytase activity by 0, 500, 1,000, or 2,000 FTU/kg. Experiments contained 6 replicates per treatment. Canola meal contained a high phytase activity (1,630 FTU/kg as-fed) due to contamination with a commercially available phytase at the feed mill from which the canola meal was sourced. In Experiment 1 with precision-fed roosters, there was no effect (P > 0.05) of phytase or bird type on InsP6 and InsP-P disappearance; however, phytase linearly reduced (P < 0.05) InsP3 concentrations in excreta. In Experiment 2 with ad libitum-fed chickens, phytase linearly increased (P < 0.05) ileal InsP6 and InsP-P disappearance, and phytase had a quadratic effect (P < 0.05) on excreta InsP6 and InsP-P disappearance. Increasing dietary phytase activity resulted in a linear increase (P < 0.05) in AID of P and phytase had a quadratic effect (P < 0.05) on ATTR of P. In conclusion, titration of high levels of phytase (1,600 to 3,600 FTU/kg as-fed) reduced InsP3 concentrations in precision-fed roosters but did not affect overall phytic acid hydrolysis, which was 78% or greater for all treatments; however, increasing the total phytase activity from 700 to 2,700 FTU in ad libitum-fed broiler chickens increased phytic acid disappearance and P digestibility.