After weaning, pigs start to receive solid diets throughout nursery phase with high amounts of plant-based feedstuffs containing various antinutritional and allergenic compounds. Feed enzymes have been used in nursery diets to reduce or remove the negative impacts associated with these compounds. This study used the phytase at normal and beyond traditional doses, which specifically catalyze the hydrolysis of phytic acid and can provide benefits on bone and intestinal health, intestinal microbiota, nutrient digestibility, and growth performance of pigs. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of a bacterial 6-phytase beyond traditional dose levels on intestinal microbiota, nutrient digestibility, bone parameters and intestinal health, and growth performance of nursery pigs. Phytase supplementation improved bone breaking strength and mineralization, apparent ileal digestibility of crude protein, ether extract, and phosphorus, average daily gain, feed intake, and reduced relative abundance of Bacteroidetes specifically Prevotellaceae in the jejunal mucosa.

Read the full article in the Journal of Animal Science.