Phosphorus is a critical nutrient for poultry health. Birds need it for metabolizing other nutrients and vitamins, growing bones and muscles, developing eggshells properly and much more.
The source of phosphorus present in plant-based raw materials used in poultry diets is in phytate form, which is not absorbable by birds, meaning that this phosphorus source is unavailable to them. Not only do phytates prevent absorption of phosphorus, but they can also bind to trace minerals — like zinc, manganese and copper, among others — reducing your birds’ ability to absorb those as well.
To improve the digestion of phosphorus, phytase is supplemented in poultry feed. Phytase breaks down phytates and releases phosphorus in a form that is available to birds, improving health and performance. Phytase can also improve the digestibility of other nutrients, like trace minerals.
Several research studies have shown that adding Zinpro Performance Minerals to poultry diets, along with phytase, can boost performance even more.
Boost Performance Across the Board
Phytase and performance trace minerals, even when used separately, give birds a significant improvement to growth performance, processing yield, epithelial integrity and more. When used together, however, we get a synergistic effect that can take performance to an even higher level, boosting birds’ health, production sustainability and profitability.
Increased Growth Performance
A recent research study showed how supplementing the poultry diet with performance trace minerals on top of phytase can improve body weight, feed conversion ratio, carcass yield and breast meat yield. When we used Availa®Zn without phytase, we improved bodyweight by 2%, but the boost jumped to 3% when we used Availa-Zn and phytase together. We saw the same type of improvement to feed conversion ratio. Without phytase, it improved by 1.2 points, but with Availa-Zn and phytase together, it improved 3.5 points.
Improved Processing Yield
The effects phytase and performance trace minerals had on carcass and breast meat yield further confirmed the impact they can have on your profits. Availa-Zn improved carcass yield by 0.1% without phytase, but the boost jumped to 0.4% when they were used together. The same happened with breast meat yield, where we saw a boost of 0.3% jump to 0.6% when we used Availa-Zn and phytase together.
Better Health and Wellbeing
The synergistic effect of performance trace minerals and phytase goes far beyond growth performance and processing yield. We saw similar results in the impact to epithelial tissues by reducing footpad lesion scores and improving intestinal integrity. A strong epithelium is crucial to poultry health. It is the first line of defense against many common issues, including bacterial chondronecrosis and osteomyelitis (BCO) and foodborne illness.
Together, performance trace minerals and phytase were able to improve bone development, as was proven by improved tibia ash and tibia zinc levels. Proper bone development is a critical function of phosphorus and is important for improving the overall performance of your flock.
Higher Bioavailability
Relative bioavailability is important for you to consider as well. It refers to the amount of a mineral that is being utilized by the bird after absorption. We are able to boost the relative bioavailability of zinc when we use Availa-Zn and phytase together.
Positive Impact on Environmental Sustainability
Improved Sustainability
At the end of the day, using performance trace minerals and phytase together not only improves your bottom line, but also has a positive impact on environmental sustainability.
Lower Environmental Impact
Sustainable poultry production is critical to the wellbeing of our environment, and consumers are increasingly asking for responsibly raised poultry. When we use performance trace minerals and phytase together, we are able to improve the number of chicks per hen housed, improve eggshell thickness and increase the number of progeny chicks with normal legs, and we can do it by feeding the same amount, or possibly even less. This results in waste reduction, less environmental pollution and overall improved sustainability.
Phytase and Performance Trace Minerals: It Works!
Phytase is critical for the success of your poultry operation. It cuts through phytates and makes naturally occurring phosphorus, as well as other trace minerals, more digestible for the birds. By using phytase with Zinpro Performance Minerals, we can see even better improvements to growth performance, processing yield, health, well-being, bioavailability and sustainability.
To take a deeper dive into the studies outlined in this article, download the Maximize the Effects of Phytase with Zinpro Performance Minerals® white paper today.
