Hydrolysis of phytic acid by intrinsic plant or supplemented microbial phytase (<i>Aspergillus niger</i>) in the stomach and small intestine of minipigs fitted with re‐entrant cannulas

Abstract

Hydrolysis of phytate in the stomach and the small intestine as influenced by intrinsic plant (wheat) and supplemented microbial phytase (A. niger) were investigated with six minipigs (40-50 kg initial BW) fitted with re-entrant-cannulas in the duodenum, 30 cm posterior to the pylorus (animals 1, 4, 5, and 6) and ileocecal re-entrant cannulas, 5 cm prior the ileocecal junction (animals 1, 2, and 3), respectively. Dietary treatments were as follows: (1) diet 1, a corn-based diet (43 U Phytase/kg DM); (2) diet 2, diet 1 supplemented with microbial phytase (818 U/kg DM) and (3) diet 3, a wheat-based diet (1192 U/kg DM). At 0730 and 1930 per animal 350 g diet mixed with 1050 ml de-ionized water were fed. Digesta were collected continuously and completely during 12 h after feeding. Duodenal recovery of dry matter and total phosphorus were 100% in the period between two feedings, irrespective of dietary treatment. In animals fed the wheat-based diet, dry matter left the stomach faster (p < 0.05) during the first hour after feeding than in animals fed the corn-based diets (41.3 vs. 31.0 and 25.8% of intake, respectively). Supplemented microbial phytase did not affect ileal dry matter digestibility of the corn-based diet. In the first hour after feeding, phosphorus concentration of the duodenal digesta of animals fed corn-based diets with or without supplemented microbial phytase (5.86, 6.19 mg total P/g DM) exceeded the dietary level considerably (4.30 and 4.21 mg total P/g DM) indicating a higher solubility of corn than wheat phosphorus in the stomach. Apparent ileal P absorption was higher (p < 0.05) in the wheat-based diet (37.6%) and corn-based diet supplemented with microbial phytase (34.3%) than in the unsupplemented corn-based diet (17.6%).