The Effect of Phytase and Organic Acid on Growth Performance, Carcass Yield and Tibia Ash in Quails Fed Diets with Low Levels of Non-phytate Phosphorus

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of phytase, organic acids and their interaction on body weight gain, feed consumption, feed conversion ratio, carcass yield and tibia ash. A total of 680 three-day old Japanese quail chicks (Coturnix coturnix japonica) were assigned to 20 battery brooders, 34 chicks in each. The experimental period lasted 35 days. The treatment groups employed were: 1) a positive control which included 3.5 g available phosphorus (AP)/kg diet and 10 g Ca/kg diet; 2) a negative control which included 2 g AP/kg diet and 8 g Ca/kg diet, 3) negative control diet supplemented with either 300 FTU phytase/kg diet (phytase) or 4) 2.5 g organic acid (lactic acid+formic acid)/kg diet (organic acid); or 5) 300 FTU phytase/kg diet+2.5 g organic acid/kg diet (phytase+organic acid). All birds were fed with the positive control diet for a week and then transferred to the dietary treatments. At the end of the study, there were no differences (p>0.005) among the groups in body weight, weight gain, feed consumption, feed conversion ratio and carcass yield. Tibia ash, however, was reduced (p<0.001) for quails fed the negative control diet containing a low-level of AP compared to the positive control diet containing adequate AP. The addition of phytase, organic acid or phytase+organic acid to the diets containing the low-level of AP improved (p<0.001) tibia ash. On the other hand, an extra synergistic effect of phytase and organic acid on tibia ash was not determined. This study demonstrated that it may be possible to reduce supplemental level of inorganic P with phytase and/or organic acid supplementation for quail diets without adverse effect on performance and tibia ash.