Digestibility of phosphorus contained in soybean meal, barley, and different varieties of wheat, without and with supplemental phytase fed to pigs and additivity of digestibility in a wheatsoybean-meal diet

Phosphorus nutrition of growing pigs

Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient for diverse biological processes, which aggregate to the animal's requirement for P, and nutritionists strive to meet this requirement accurately. The P demand for a growing pig comprises requirements for maintenance and tissue deposition. The P in feed ingredients, however, must be digested and absorbed before its ultimate partition between the 2 aforementioned requirement components. Phosphorus from various sources could behave differently during digestion and absorption, which results in their disparate bioavailability for pigs. The system of standardized total tract digestibility reflects true total tract digestibility of P and feed ingredient effects on specific endogenous P loss with relative ease of implementation, and this system guarantees satisfactory additivity in digestible P among the ingredients in a diet—the foundation for diet formulation. The basal endogenous P loss, which is much easier to measure than the specific endogenous P loss, is considered as part of the pig's maintenance requirement. With this arrangement, a digestibility framework is established both for measuring the P-providing capacity of various feed ingredients and for describing the pig's P requirement. This framework entails basic understanding of the function, digestion, absorption, excretion, and homeostasis of P as support pillars. Understanding the workings of this framework enables potential integration of factors such as environment conditions and disease status in future P requirement models. The current review discusses dietary sources, digestion, absorption, bioavailability and requirement of P for growing pigs to understand the status quo, revealing the points of consensus as well as those of debate, and to encourage further investigation to provide more clarity.

Conditioning of Feed Material Prior to Feeding: Approaches for a Sustainable Phosphorus Utilization

A circular phosphorus (P) bioeconomy is not only worthwhile for conserving limited mineral P reservoirs, but also for minimizing negative environmental impacts caused by human-made alterations. Although P is an essential nutrient, most of the P in concentrates based on cereals, legumes and oilseed byproducts is organically bound to phytate. The latter cannot be efficiently utilized by monogastric animals and is therefore diluted into the environment through the manure pathway. This review examines various strategies for improved P utilization in animals and reflects the respective limitations. The strategies considered include feeding of debranned feedstuffs, pre-germinated feed, co-feeding of phytase and feeding material with high native phytase activity. All these approaches contribute to an improved P bioavailability. However, about half of the organic P content continues to be excreted and therefore remains unused by the animals. Nevertheless, technologies for an efficient utilization of P from cereal-based feed already exist; however, these are not industrially established. Conditioning feed material prior to feeding fosters P-reduced feed; meanwhile, P bound to phytate can be recovered. Based on known techniques for P separation and solubilisation from cereal products and phytate conversion, potential designs for feed material conditioning processes are proposed and evaluated.

Phosphorus digestibility and phytate degradation in pigs fed wheat-based diets with different intrinsic phytase activity and added microbial phytase

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of variation in wheat-derived phytase activity on myo-inositol 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexakis (dihydrogen phosphate) (InsP₆) degradation, inositol phosphate (InsP) isomer concentration and phosphorus (P) digestibility in pigs fed wheat-based diets. Additional effects of a microbial phytase supplementation were also studied. Three wheat genotypes (W1-W3) with an analysed phytase activity between 2760 and 3700 FTU/kg were used to formulate four experimental diets that included soybean meal and rapeseed meal but did not contain a mineral P supplement. DietW1-DietW3 only differed in the included wheat genotypes (W1-W3) at an inclusion level of 400 g/kg. DietW3+ contained W3 and a commercial 6-phytase supplementation at 500 FTU/kg diet. Eight barrows with an initial body weight of 27 kg were fitted with a simple T-cannula at the distal ileum and assigned to the four dietary treatments in a completely randomised row column design. The experiment included four periods of 12 d each. The first 5 d of each period were for diet adaptation, followed by collection of faeces (4 d), ileal digesta (2 d), and blood (last day). In DietW1-DietW3, the mean precaecal (pc) InsP₆ disappearance was 48% and the mean pc P digestibility was 37% without a significant effect of the wheat genotype. The InsP₆ disappearance measured in the faeces was close to complete in all treatments, and faecal P digestibility was not significantly affected by the wheat genotype (36% overall). The addition of microbial phytase caused a significant increase in pc InsP₆ degradation (to 79%) and pc and total tract P digestibility (to 53% and 52%, respectively). The concentration of InsP₆ degradation products in ileal digesta was not significantly affected by the wheat genotype, except for that of Ins(1,2,3,4,6)P₅ and myo-inositol, which were higher in DietW3 than in DietW1 and DietW2. The added microbial phytase significantly reduced the concentration of InsP₅ isomers in the ileal digesta and increased the concentrations of lower InsP isomers and myo-inositol. There were no significant effects of the added microbial phytase on pc amino acid digestibility; however, the wheat genotype exerted significant effects on the pc digestibility of Cys, Gly and Val. It was concluded that an increase in the intrinsic phytase activity of wheat achieved by crossbreeding was not reflected in InsP₆ degradation and P digestibility in pigs fed wheat-based diets.

Intrinsic phytase in hybrid rye increases the digestibility of phosphorus in corn and soybean meal in diets fed to growing pigs

An experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that inclusion of hybrid rye in diets containing corn and soybean meal (SBM) without or with microbial phytase improves the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) and the standardized total tract digestibility (STTD) of P because of the intrinsic phytase activity in hybrid rye. Forty-eight growing barrows (initial body weight: 39.5 ± 7.7 kg) were allotted to six diets. A basal diet containing corn and SBM; a rye-based diet; and a diet containing corn, SBM, and rye were formulated. Each diet was formulated without and with microbial phytase (500 units/kg of diet) for a total of six diets. Fecal samples were collected for 4 d following a 5-d adaptation period according to the marker-to-marker procedure. Results indicated that no interactions between diets and concentration of phytase were observed for any of the response criteria measured. The ATTD and STTD of P and the ATTD of Ca differed (P < 0.05) among diets, but regardless of diet, the concentration of P in feces was reduced (P < 0.05) by adding microbial phytase to the diets. As a consequence, microbial phytase increased (P < 0.05) ATTD and STTD of P, and the ATTD of Ca was also increased (P < 0.05) by the use of microbial phytase. Measured values for the ATTD and STTD of P in the diets containing corn, SBM, and hybrid rye without or with phytase were greater (P < 0.05) than values that were predicted based on the ATTD and STTD of P for the corn-SBM and the hybrid rye diet. The observation that STTD predicted from the individual ingredients underestimated the STTD of P in the mixed diet indicates that the intrinsic phytase in hybrid rye resulted in increased digestibility of the P in the corn and SBM included in the corn-SBM-hybrid rye diet. In conclusion, microbial phytase increased the ATTD and STTD of P and the ATTD of Ca regardless of feed ingredients used in diets fed to pigs. In addition, the intrinsic phytase from hybrid rye increased the ATTD and STTD of P in corn and SBM.

Phosphorus digestibility and metabolisable energy concentrations of contemporary wheat, barley, rye and triticale genotypes fed to growing pigs

This study was conducted to determine apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of phosphorus (P) and metabolisable energy (ME) concentrations for pigs of 32 different genotypes (n = 8 per grain species) of barley, rye, triticale and wheat. All genotypes were grown at the same location under the same field conditions and were fed to growing castrated crossbred pigs (initial body weight: 31.1 ± 6.95 kg) using a series of duplicate 3 × 3 Latin square designs. A basal ration, which was deficient in P, and 32 experimental rations containing 400 g/kg DM of the basal ration and 600 g/kg DM of the corresponding cereal grain were mixed. Pigs were kept in metabolism crates and the total collection method was used for separate faeces and urine collections with 7-d adaptation and 7-d collection periods. The mean ATTD of P was greater (p < 0.05) for wheat than for triticale, rye or barley (59.4%, 50.4%, 44.9% and 44.4%, respectively, for the mean of each grain species). Within-grain species differences (p < 0.05) among genotypes were obtained for ATTD of P of barley and triticale. The concentrations of ME of triticale and wheat were higher (p < 0.05) than that of barley and rye (16.1 and 16.2 vs. 14.9 and 14.8 MJ ME/kg DM, respectively). Differences in ME concentration among genotypes within a grain species (p < 0.05) were found for barley, triticale and wheat. No differences were found for rye. Compared to literature data the present study showed, in part, considerable differences in ATTD of P and ME concentration. These results should be taken into account for accurate pig ration formulation with regard to minimised P output and efficient use of ME. No significant relationships were detected between ATTD of P and phytic acid concentration or phytase activity in the grain genotypes in this study.

A review of some fish nutrition methodologies

Several classical warm blooded animal (poultry, sheep, cows, etc.) methods for dietary nutrients evaluation (digestibility, metabolizablity, and energy budget) are applied to fish, even though fish live in a different environment in addition to being cold blooded animals. These applications have caused significant errors that have made these methods non-additive and meaningless, as is explained in the text. In other words, dietary digestion and absorption could not adequately be measured due to the aquatic environment fish live in. Therefore, net nutrient deposition and/or growth are the only accurate measurement left to evaluate dietary nutrients intake in fish. In order to understand and predict dietary nutrient intake-growth response relationship, several mathematical models; (1) the simple linear equation, (2) the logarithmic equation, and (3) the quadratic equation are generally used. These models however, do not describe a full range of growth and have no biological meaning as explained in the text. On the other hand, a model called the saturation kinetic model. It has biological basis (the law of mass action and the enzyme kinetic) and it describes the full range of growth curve. Additionally, it has four parameters that summarize the growth curve and could also be used in comparing diets or nutrients effect on fish growth and/or net nutrient deposition. The saturation kinetic model is proposed to be adequate for dietary nutrient evaluation for fish. The theoretical derivation of this model is illustrated in the text.

Determination of true digestive utilization of phosphorus and the endogenous phosphorus outputs associated with soybean meal for growing pigs

The objectives of this study were to determine true P digestibility, the gastrointestinal endogenous P outputs associated with soybean meal (SBM), and the role of the large intestine in P digestion in growing pigs. Four Yorkshire barrows, with average initial and final BW of 40 and 58 kg, were fitted with a simple T-cannula at the distal ileum and fed four diets according to a 4 x 4 Latin square design. The diets were cornstarch-based and contained four levels of P (0.098, 0.196, 0.293, and 0.391% on a DM basis) from solvent-extracted conventional SBM. Chromic oxide (3.5 g/kg of diet, as-fed basis) was included as a digestibility marker. Each experimental period consisted of 8 d with a 4-d adaptation period and a 4-d collection of representative ileal digesta (2 d) and fecal (2 d) samples. True ileal and fecal P digestibility values and the ileal and fecal endogenous P outputs associated with SBM were determined by the regression analysis technique. There were no differences (P > 0.05) in true P digestibility values (ileal, 59.0 +/- 8.3 vs. fecal, 51.3 +/- 7.9%, n = 16) and endogenous P outputs (ileal, 0.59 +/- 0.18 vs. fecal, 0.45 +/- 0.21 g/kg of DMI, n = 16) between the ileal and the fecal levels. The endogenous fecal P loss accounted for 8.1 and 17.6% of the NRC (1998) recommended total and available P requirements in growing pigs, respectively. In conclusion, approximately 51% of the total P in conventional SBM is digested in growing pigs. The large intestine does not play an important role in the digestion of P associated with SBM in the growing pig. The fecal loss of the gastrointestinal endogenous P is an important route of P excretion in the growing pig.

Novel methodology allows simultaneous measurement of true phosphorus digestibility and the gastrointestinal endogenous phosphorus outputs in studies with pigs

Methodology was developed for measuring the gastrointestinal endogenous phosphorus (P) outputs and true P digestibility values in studies with piglets. Four barrows, average initial body weight 6.8 kg, were fitted with a simple T-cannula at the distal ileum and fed four diets according to a 4 x 4 Latin square design. Four cornstarch-based diets containing four levels of P (1.1, 2.1, 3.2 and 4.3 g/kg diet) on a dry matter (DM) basis were formulated from soybean meal (SBM). Each experimental period comprised 8 d with a 4-d adaptation and 4-d collection of ileal digesta and feces. The apparent ileal and fecal P digestibility values in SBM were affected (P < 0.05) by P levels in the assay diets. The ileal and fecal P digestibility values increased from -24.8 to 37.1% and from 18.8 to 42.5%, respectively, as P contents increased from 1.1 to 4.3 g/kg DM diet. Linear relationships (P < 0.05), expressed as g/kg DM diet intake, between ileal and fecal outputs and dietary inputs of P, suggested that the endogenous P outputs can be determined by linear regression analysis. The endogenous P output was higher (P < 0.05) in ileal digesta than in feces (0.86 +/- 0.09 vs. 0.31 +/- 0.06 g/kg DM diet intake). There was no difference (P > 0.05) between the true ileal (50.7 +/- 7.1%) and fecal (48.5 +/- 5.4%) P digestibility values in SBM. These results suggest that differences in P contents between assay diets are primarily responsible for the large variability in apparent P digestibility values reported within the same ingredient. Apparent digestibility values underestimate the true digestive utilization of P by approximately 25%. True rather than apparent P digestibility values should be determined and used in diet formulation for pigs. In addition, this study shows that the gastrointestinal endogenous P output is important in whole-body P requirement and homeostasis.

Effect of body weight on phosphorus digestibility and efficacy of a microbial phytase in young pigs

The effect of body weight on P digestibility and on efficacy of supplemental Aspergillus niger phytase was studied in two experiments with young growing pigs. Excreta were collected quantitatively. All diets contained 2.0 g digestible P per kg dry matter at a maximum and renal P excretion never exceeded 15 mg/d. When dietary P mainly originated from monocalcium-phosphate, both P digestibility and Ca net absorption linearly increased by 3.6 and 5.6 percentage units, respectively, when BW increased from 15 to 35 kg. With a similar range in BW, P digestibility and Ca net absorption were unaffected by BW when P mainly originated from maize, barley and soybean meal. In both types of diet, crude protein digestibility increased with increasing body weight, whereas organic matter digestibility was effected by BW only in the diet containing maize, barley and soybean meal. Phytase (400 U/kg) almost doubled P digestibility when supplemented to a diet with P mainly originating from maize, soybean meal and barley. This effect of phytase supplementation was equal in pigs at 15.7 kg BW (33 vs. 55%) and at 39.1 kg BW (32 vs. 56%). Digestibility of any organic fraction was unaffected by supplemental phytase. With regard to on-farm conditions, it appears eligible from this results to apply digestibility coefficients for P determined in growing-finishing pigs for piglets as well.

Comparison of Aspergillus niger phytase and Trichoderma reesei phytase and acid phosphatase on phytate phosphorus availability in pigs fed on maize-soybean meal or barley-soybean meal diets

The efficacy of Aspergillus niger (APhy) phytase, Trichoderma reesei (TPhy) phytase and acid phosphatase (TAcPh) preparations in improving the utilization of phytin-phosphorus in the maize-soybean meal (SBM) or barley-SBM (800:200 g kg-1) diets was studied in two separate digestibility and balance trials with ten growing pigs using 5 x 5 Latin square designs. The positive control diet contained a total phosphorus (P) of 6.5 g kg-1, while the negative control as well as the APhy, TPhy and TAcPh supplemented diets which did not contain additional inorganic-P, had a total P of 4.1 g kg-1. The APhy and TPhy supplements provided phytase activity of 1000 PU g-1 together with AcPh of 8000 HFU g-1. TAcPh at a level of 8000 HFU g-1 was the only addition to one diet. The intrinsic phytase activity of barley was 355 PU g-1 while maize and soybean meal showed no phytase activity. Phytase supplements of the APhy and TPhy sources increased ash digestibility in both diets but had only a minor effect on nitrogen utilization. The addition of phytase improved absorption of P by 21%-units in barley-SBM diet and 29%-units in maize-SBM diet, without any difference between the two phytase sources. The retained P in diets with phytase was higher than in diets without phytase, 4.4 (APhy), 4.5 (TPhy) vs. 2.9 g d-1 in barley-SBM-diets and 3.7 (APhy), 4.0 (TPhy) vs. 1.8 g d-1 in maize-SBM-diets. No difference was found between the two sources of phytase. TAcPh without additional phytase did not show any effect on P absorption or retention. Ca absorption and retention were improved due to the phytase treatments. Supplementing pig diets with either APhy or TPhy sources seems to be equally effective in enhancing the availability of phytate-P. Consequently, these supplements can reduce the P-excretion of pigs by 32-40% as compared with the diet supplemented with inorganic-P.

Inevitable losses of phosphorus in pigs, estimated from balance data using diets deficient in phosphorus

Faecal losses of phosphorus (P) were determined in 66 growing pigs weighing between 30 and 70 kg on a semi-purified diet containing less than 1.3 g P/kg DM. Regression analysis showed that the coefficient of absorption of P from this diet was 82.5% and that inevitable faecal P excretion of pigs fed this diet was, on average, 5.9 mg/kg BW.d-1 with no statistically significant effect of body weight on faecal P excretion within the range of body weight studied. Semi-purified diets almost identical in composition were also fed to 5 piglets weighing about 20 kg and to 4 heavy pigs of about 150 kg BW. Inevitable daily faecal losses of P were calculated to be 6.2 mg/kg BW in piglets and 6.8 mg/kg BW in the heavy pigs. It is concluded that inevitable faecal losses of P do depend on body weight and that the variation faecal P excretion was too great to allow detecting this effect within the limited range between 30 and 70 kg BW. Further diets were obtained by blending various ingredients into the semi-purified diet. From a total of 262 balances measured under the condition of suboptimal P supply it is concluded that daily inevitable urinary losses of P depend on body weight and, on average, amount to 0.35 mg/kg BW. It is concluded that under the conditions of suboptimal P supply the utilisation of digestible P is almost complete.

Nutritional significance of phytic acid and phytase

In the nutrition of monogastric animals phytate-P represents a poorly available source of phosphorus, especially in the case of diets low in phytase activity. Similarly the bioavailability of different minerals and trace elements is considerably reduced by phytate complexes. High concentrations of Ca increase the anti-nutritive effect of phytic acid on mineral and trace element bioavailability and thus impede the action of phytase. This effect can in part be compensated by an increased supply of vitamin D. There is also evidence for protective functions of phytic acid such as the prevention of the formation of free radicals, the delaying of post prandial glucose absorption, the decrease in plasma cholesterol and triglycerides as well as a change in the carry over of heavy metals. The basic mechanisms by which phytic acid may exert these effects are still not clear. In several studies reported in the literature, evidence for the nutritional significance and ecological importance of microbial phytase for pigs and poultry has been given. As the monogastric organism contains no or only negligible amounts of endogenous phytase in the stomach and small intestine, it is therefore dependent on plant or microbial phytase. Plant phytase, e.g. from rye, triticale, wheat or, in smaller amounts from barley, and supplemented Aspergillus-phytase display cumulative effects.

Digestibility of phosphorus in protein-rich ingredients for pig diets

Two experiments were run to determine the digestibility of phosphorus in different vegetable and animal proteins for the pig diet. Each experiment comprised two 4 x 4 Latin squares run concurrently. Pigs initially weighing 30 kg were kept in metabolism crates and fed twice daily at about 2.5-fold metabolisable energy requirement for maintenance. A semi-purified basal diet low in phosphorus and without intrinsic phytase activity was fed either alone or after blending into mixtures with one of the ingredients to be tested. Mixtures were calculated to contain not more than 2 g digestible P/kg DM and between 5.0 and 6.0 g Ca/kg DM. Faeces and urine were quantitatively collected for 8 days after 7 days of adaptation. Phosphorus digestibility for ingredients under test was calculated assuming the digestibility of phosphorus from the basal diets to be constant in all diets. P digestibilities in solvent extracted soybean meal from dehulled seed, rapeseed and solvent extracted rapeseed meal were 37, 42 and 24%, respectively. Supplementation of a microbial phytase (750 U/kg diet) improved digestibility coefficients significantly to 76, 66 and 73%, respectively. Digestibility of phosphorus in 3 different batches of fish meal ranged from 85 to 90%, without significant differences between batches. In 3 different types of carcass meal, digestibility coefficients were 80, 82 and 83% without significant differences between types, and digestibility of phosphorus from bone meal was 80%.