Performance and nutrient utilization of laying hens fed low-phosphorus corn-soybean and wheat-soybean diets supplemented with microbial phytase.

Two experiments were conducted with laying hens (Lohmann Brown) in an individual cage system and with single feeding conditions. Experiment 1 (n = 24) was a performance trial (22 to 61 wk) to evaluate phytase effects on performance and nutrient utilization in corn-soybean meal (CSM1) and wheat-soybean meal (WSM1) basal diets (0.12% NPP; 3.1% Ca) supplemented (300 U/kg) with an experimental microbial phytase (CSM2 and WSM2) or 1.5 g/kg inorganic P (CSM3 and WSM3). Experiment 2 (n = 16) was also conducted as a performance trial (22 to 61 wk) only using CSM diets with dietary treatments similar to those in experiment 1. In addition, parallel N and P balance experiments in 2 age periods (26 and 33 wk, respectively) were conducted. In experiment 1, no significant (P < 0.05) differences in mortality, feed intake, egg production, egg weight, or body weight were observed. Tibia bone mineral composition was significantly affected by microbial phytase. Microbial phytase in the low-P CSM diet significantly (P < 0.05) improved the feed conversion ratio. In experiment 2, only feed conversion ratio was significantly improved by microbial phytase. The phytase supplementation had no significant effect on P excretion, P balance, P utilization, N balance, N utilization, or AMEn in the balance experiments.