Maximal value addition from combined use of phytase and carbohydrases in corn-soy broiler diets

Over the past few years, the cost of feeding broiler chickens has been on the rise, leading to decreased production efficiency. The major components of broiler feed, corn, and soybean meal, contribute to approximately 80% of the birds’ nutritional needs. Hence, fluctuations in their prices can significantly impact the overall cost of the diet.

Animal nutritionists are always on the lookout for ways to reduce feed costs without compromising the health and performance of their animals. One such strategy is to maximize feed utilization through the use of matrix values for feed raw materials and enzymes. Matrix values provide nutritionists with critical information on the nutrient values of feed additives and raw materials. Specifically, when it comes to feed enzymes, matrix values enable nutritionists to determine the nutrients that can be released when a specific enzyme dosage is added to the diet. By using matrix values, nutritionists can avoid adding unnecessary nutrients to the feed and optimize animal performance without incurring additional costs. BASF, a leading producer of feed enzymes, has been at the forefront of the development and implementation of matrix values for over 30 years.

Natuphos^® E 5000 Combi G is a commercial phytase, xylanase and glucanase containing feed additive and are widely used in monogastric diets to improve nutrient digestibility, feed efficiency and profitability. Studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects of phytase in enhancing phosphorus digestibility and retention in birds fed low phosphorus corn-soy diets. Furthermore, the addition of xylanase and glucanase to corn/soy-based diets for broilers has shown to improve feed conversion ratio (FCR) and nutrient digestibility. Utilizing Natuphos® E 5000 Combi G as a phytase / carbohydrase combination product is an attractive solution to reduce production costs by promoting feed efficiency.

BASF recently conducted a study in India to evaluate the impact of phytase, xylanase, and glucanase (available as BASF Natuphos® E 5000 Combi G) on broiler performance and phosphorus digestibility. The results of the study provide further evidence of the positive effects of these enzymes on broiler nutrition.

Natuphos® E 5000 Combi G is a commercial feed additive containing a novel hybrid-6-phytase (5000 FTU/g), endo-xylanase (5600 TXU/g) and β-glucanase (2500 TGU/g).

The study involved feeding Vencobb 430Y broilers with a diet that was based on corn-soybean meal. The study included a negative control group in which the nutrients were gradually reduced, and enzymes were added to the feed from day 1 to day 35 to counteract any nutrient deficiencies.

The study found that the negative control diets with reduced nutrient values had a significant (P<0.05) negative impact on body weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratios for all enzyme inclusion levels tested, compared to the control diet. However, when diets were formulated according to the prescribed matrix values (for energy, protein, amino acids, and minerals) and supplemented with Natuphos® E 5000 Combi G, along with additional Natuphos® E at higher dose rates (above 500 FTU/kg feed), all measured performance parameters significantly improved to the same levels as the positive control (PC). See Figure 1 and 2 for further details.

The study showed that the apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of phosphorus (P) was significantly lower in groups fed the negative control (NC) diets. However, when the diets were supplemented with Natuphos® E Combi G, either alone or in combination with additional Natuphos® E supplementation, the P-digestibilities were restored to the same levels as the positive controls (PC) as can be seen in figure 3.

Conclusion

The study demonstrated that adding enzymes, such as Natuphos® E 5000 Combi G, to reduced nutrient diets for broilers can improve performance and restore nutrient digestibility to levels similar to those fed in control diets. The proposed matrix values Natuphos® E 5000 Combi G to be used in least cost feed formulation were proven to be safe for use in broiler diets, with the potential for higher savings for the farmer at no loss of production performance when using higher inclusion levels of Natuphos® E. Formulating broiler diets with Natuphos® E products can result in significant feed cost savings, making it an excellent option for sustainable farming practices, especially during times of rising raw material prices and limited options. Therefore, the implementation of full / complete matrix values (for energy, protein, amino acids, and minerals), even at dose rates well above 1000 FTU/kg feed, should be seriously considered to maximize the ecological and economic potential of Natuphos® E products.