Influence of two levels of phytic acid and particle size of oyster shell on the performance, calcium digestibility, gastrointestinal pH, and bone traits in broilers.

1. Phytic acid (PA) is an antinutritional factor in poultry diets. The effect of high dietary PA in chicken diets might be exacerbated when the particle size of oyster shell (OS) is too fine.

Over-processed meat and bone meal and phytase effects on broilers challenged with subclinical necrotic enteritis: Part 3. Bone mineralization and litter quality.

This study was conducted to determine the effect of necrotic enteritis (NE), phytase level and meat and bone meal (MBM) processing on bone mineralization of broilers and litter quality. Ross 308 male broiler chicks ( = 768) were allotted to 48 pens with 16 birds each. There were 8 dietary treatments in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement.

Over-processed meat and bone meal and phytase effects on broilers challenged with subclinical necrotic enteritis: Part 2. Inositol phosphate esters hydrolysis, intestinal permeability, hematology, jejunal gene expression and intestinal morphology.

This study investigated the hypothesis that feeding broilers over-processed meat and bone meal (MBM) would impair gut health in the absence of phytase and in turn, affect inositol phosphate (inositol x-phosphate, IPx: IP3, IP4, IP5 and IP6) ester hydrolysis, intestinal permeability, hematology, jejunal gene expression and intestinal morphology during necrotic enteritis (NE). Ross 308 male broilers ( = 768) were assigned to one of 8 dietary treatments in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement, with 6 replicate pens per diet and 16 birds per pen in a completely randomized design. Factors were: NE challenge (no or yes), phytase level (500 or 5,000 FTU/kg) and MBM processing (as-received or over-processed).

Over-processed meat and bone meal and phytase effects on broilers challenged with subclinical necrotic enteritis: Part 1. Performance, intestinal lesions and pH, bacterial counts and apparent ileal digestibility.

This feeding study investigated the hypothesis that over-processing of meat and bone meal (MBM) would impair the performance, gut health and ileal digestibility of nutrients in birds challenged with necrotic enteritis (NE). The effect of phytase (500 vs. 5,000 FTU/kg) was also examined using manufacturers recommended matrix values for 500 FTU for both levels.

Interactive effect of dietary calcium and phytase on broilers challenged with subclinical necrotic enteritis: part 2. Gut permeability, phytate ester concentrations, jejunal gene expression, and intestinal morphology.

Calcium has the capacity to interact with phytate-P to form Ca-phytate complexes and decrease the ability of exogenous phytase to degrade phytic acid. This study investigated the hypothesis that high dietary Ca would impair gut permeability, phytate esters (inositol x-phosphate, IPx: IP3, IP4, IP5, and IP6) degradation, jejunal gene expression, and intestinal morphology. Ross 308 day-old male broilers (n = 768) were distributed into 48-floor pens each housing 16 birds in a factorial arrangement.