Phytase supplementation of maize-, sorghum- and wheat-based broiler diets with identified starch pasting properties influences phytate (IP6) and sodium jejunal and ileal digestibility

The effects of phytase supplementation on growth performance, nutrient utilisation, starch and protein digestive dynamics in broiler chickens offered maize-, sorghum- and wheat-based diets were determined in a previous study (Liu et al., 2014). Responses to phytase were most pronounced in maize-based diets, which suggest that more phytate was degraded in these diets. Relevant retained samples of grain, diets and digesta from four small intestinal segments were retrospectively analysed for concentrations of phytate, sodium and starch pasting properties to investigate the hypothesis that phytate in maize-based diets was more completely degraded by exogenous phytase. Exogenous phytase significantly (P