AB Vista releases video on benefits of phytase superdosing

 

Animal nutrition technology firm AB Vista recently released a technical video that highlights a new research that more precisely identifies how phytases (enzymes that increase phosphorus in pig and poultry diets) work in the animal. He also explains the benefits of phytase superdosing and the differences seen between commercial phytases.

 

The new video, "Superdosing - where are the benefits coming from? Part one: Complete phytate destruction", is the first in a new technical video series from AB Vista, titled "Extraordinary Science Brought to Life".

 

In the video, Dr. Mike Bedford, research director at AB Vista, says many end-users have now adopted the practice of superdosing, using higher phytase doses in feed to reduce the anti-nutritional effects of phytate (IP6) in pigs and poultry. This has proven to give additional animal performance benefits beyond standard phytase doses.

 

Recent publications have shown that it is not just phytate (a salt or ester of phytic acid capable of forming insoluble complexes with calcium, zinc, iron, and other nutrients and interfering with their absorption by the body) that has anti-nutritive effects; the breakdown products of phytate-IP5, IP4 and IP3-can also have an anti-nutritive effect in the animal. These lower phytate esters have been shown to correlate to poor digestion of protein, energy and minerals, indicating that they have an anti-nutritive effect in the animal.

 

With standard phytase dosing, one anti-nutrient may be degraded and simply replaced with another.

Superdosing definition

 

Confusion still exists in the market as to what superdosing is and how this should be defined. AB Vista has gone a step further in defining superdosing as "feeding enough of an effective phytase to prevent the build-up of lower phytate esters such as IP3 and IP4 in the gut of the animal."

 

"When we think about phytases, we should think about them as enzymes to effectively break down IP5, IP4 and IP3, as well as IP6. We want phytases not only to release the P we need, but to eliminate all inhibitors of digestion, and enable the animal to grow more efficiently. Superdosing phytase does exactly that", Bedford says.

 

Bedford also points out that commercial phytases differ in their ability to break down phytate and the lower esters IP5, IP4, IP3, even when fed at high levels. He says that for animal producers to see a greater return from their phytase programme, they need to select an effective phytase, such as Quantum Blue which, when applied at superdosed levels, can break down IP6 and continue to destroy the anti-nutritive lower phytate esters, even at low concentrations of phytate.

 

"Choosing a phytase simply by determining how much phosphorus it releases does not give the full picture. Scientific data now allows us to better understand exactly what effect phytases have in the gut, and thus maximise the performance benefits that can be made through effective superdosing", Bedford stresses.

 

The video can be viewed on the AB Vista website, www.abvista.com.