Effect of dietary citric acid and microbial phytase on broiler chicken illume protein digestibility, metabolizable energy, CA and total P

A trial was conducted to determine the effects of dietary citric acid and microbial phytase on broiler chicken ileal protein digestibility, metabolizable energy, Ca and total P of broiler chicken. The dietary treatments consisted of untreated control feed. Treated feeds with the microbial enzyme phytase and citric acid were formulated using three levels of 0, 500 and 1000 U/Kg of microbial phytase and three levels of 0, 3 and %6 citric acid using 270 male Ross 308 broiler chickens were placed in an experimental design consisting of nine dietary treatments with three replicate cages of 10 broilers per cage. The dietary treatments consisted of untreated control feed, three microbial phytase-supplemented diets (0, 500 and 1000 U/kg), three citric acid feed (0, 3 and %6), 500 U/kg phytase + 3% citric acid, 1000 U/kg phytase + 3% citric acid, 500 U/kg phytase + 6% citric acid and 1000 U/kg phytase + 6% citric acid diets prepared on corn and soybean basis. The chickens were maintained on these dietary treatments from 7 to 42 d of age with feed and water made available for ad libitum consumption. Ileal protein digestibility, metabolizable energy, Ca and total P of broiler chicken on day 35 were determined. The result showed that there was a significant (P < 0.01) improvement effect of diet containing 3% citric acid in, protein digestibility, metabolizable energy and total P (P< 0.01) but had no significant effect in digestibility of Ca. Also, dietd having 6% citric acid significantly (P < 0.01) reduced, protein digestibility, metabolizable energy and total P (P< 0.01) compared to diets having no acid or 3% acid (P < 0.01). All different levels of microbial phytase improved nutrients digestibility of diets (P< 0.01). The results also strongly showed that there is an interaction between microbial phytase and citric acid and acid has a synergetic effect on phytase state of action in the body.