Efficacy Of A Newer Phytase Source (Hiphorius^™) In Kent Nexgen Advanced Pig Starters

Michael Edmonds, Ph.D., Vice President, Swine and Poultry Nutrition, Kent Nutrition Group

dsm-ferminich’s new, fourth-generation phytase, has numerous benefits in both pig diets and in helping farmers achieve sustainable and profitable animal protein production. Plant-origin feed ingredients such as corn, soybean meal and distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) contain an antinutrient named phytate or phytic acid. Phytate binds phosphorus, calcium, and other minerals as well as amino acids and can decrease starch digestibility, which makes these nutrients less available to be utilized by pigs. By breaking down the phytate in feed ingredients, these nutrients become more bioavailable to the pig, especially phosphorus. This allows us when formulating diets to use less nonrenewable inorganic phosphate sources (which are mined, require transport and expensive) when diets are supplemented with phytase. Adding phytase to diet formulas reduces diet costs. In this trial, the added phosphorus source was reduced by almost 50% with a feed savings of $3 to $4/ton when supplemented with phytase. Utilizing phytase also improves sustainability by helping to reduce environmental pollution from less undigested phosphorus and nitrogen (from the proteins or amino acids) being excreted and ending up in soil and water supplies. By enabling improved starch digestibility, there is also a small increase in energy availability which can increase animal performance and feed efficiency. The data shown in the next two charts compare the effects of diets, with and without phytase, on phosphorus intake, excretion and digestibility in starter pigs. We used four individual pigs per treatment in metabolism crates to do fecal and urine collections to measure nutrient digestibility. The pigs had an initial weight of 32 lbs. Diets without phytase contained higher levels of phosphorus from monocalcium phosphate, whereas the added-phytase diets (supplemented with 750 FTY/kg) contained much lower levels of added phosphate. In Chart 1, one can see that the pigs on the diets without phytase had both significantly (P < 0.05) greater phosphorus intakes along with increased phosphorus outputs compared to pigs fed the diets with added phytase.

Chart 1. Phytase Effects on Phosphorus Intakes & Outputs

As shown in Chart 2 below, we observed a significant (P < 0.05) improvement in phosphorus digestibility when pigs were fed diets with the added phytase as opposed to no added phytase and higher amounts of monocalcium phosphate.

Our extensive studies with HiPhorius in pigs and poultry at the Kent Research Farm clearly show increased profits to producers. In addition, the use of phytase helps in managing emerging challenges related to environmental sustainability, by enabling better utilization of phosphorus in feed which reduces the need for inorganic phosphorus supplementation.

Summary

Based on Kent research, the Kent NexGen Advanced pig starters contain 750 FYT/kg of phytase which improves profitability and contributes to environmental sustainability.