Medycyna Wet. 65 (4), 250-254, 2009
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| Hanczakowska E., Świątkiewicz M., Kühn I. |
| Effect of microbial phytase supplement to feed for sows on apparent digestibility of P, Ca and crude protein and reproductive parameters in two consecutive reproduction cycles |
| The effect of a phytase supplement to diet for sows during two reproduction cycles on P, Ca and protein digestibility as well as the reproductive traits was estimated on 36 crossbred sows. From mating to the 70th day of pregnancy the sows were kept in group cages, 4 animals in each cage. From the 71st to the 100th day of pregnancy sows were housed individually. At the 100th day of pregnancy sows were moved into the farrowing hall and kept individually. The same sows allocated to the same experimental groups were used in both reproduction cycles. In both cycles sows received the same feed mixtures. Diet was supplemented with calcium phosphate (group I positive control, PC) or phytase 125, 250, 375 or 10000 PU per 1 kg of mixture (in diets III, IV, V and VI respectively). Negative control (II NC) was also used. Experimental feeds were fed to sows starting from mating until piglet weaning i.e. when piglets reached the 28th day of age. Digestibility studies were performed in two experimental periods: from day 71 to 97 of pregnancy (faeces collection on days 93-97 of pregnancy) and from day 11 to 25 of lactation (faeces collection on days 20-24). Digestibility of CP, Ca and P was the lowest in the NC group, both in the pregnant and lactating sows, and it was significantly improved by phytase supplement. The addition of 375 PPU of phytase improved P digestibility from 42.6 (PC) to 48.3% in the case of pregnant sows and from 48.0 to 52.9% in the case of lactating ones. The digestibility of Ca was improved from 31.6 to 37.2 and from 41.4 to 51.2%, respectively. The effect of phytase on crude protein digestibility was lower. It was found that phytase did not affect the sows reproductive parameters in either production cycle, either in pregnant or lactating sows. |
| Keywords: sows, phytase, phosphorus, calcium, apparent digestibility. |