Effects of -Hydroxycholecalciferol and Phytase on Growth Performance, Tibia Parameter and Meat Quality of 1- to 21-d-old Broilers

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of interaction between $1{\alpha}$-hydroxycholecalciferol ($1{\alpha}$-OH $D_3$) and phytase on growth performance, parameters of tibia and plasma, and meat quality of 1- to 21-d-old broilers. Two hundred and forty male, 1-d-old Arbor Acres broilers were randomly assigned to 20 cages, with 12 chicks per cage. Five treatments were designed, with four cages each. A 2${\times}$2 factorial experiment was designed to test 0 and 5 ${\mu}g/kg$ of $1{\alpha}$-OH $D_3$ in combination with 0 and 500 U/kg of phytase. A basal diet was formulated to contain 2.9 g/kg of non-phytate phosphorus (NPP), and the control diet was formulated to contain a normal level of NPP (4.5 g/kg). Results showed that $1{\alpha}$-OH $D_3$ alone increased tibia ash, contents of calcium and phosphate, breaking strength, concentrations of plasma calcium and phosphate, and water-holding capacity of breast and thigh meat, while it decreased growth of broilers. Phytase alone improved performance and tibia quality. Although growth of broilers was lower than that of the positive control when the diet was supplemented with $1{\alpha}$-OH $D_3$ and phytase, tibia quality was significantly improved by the addition of $1{\alpha}$-OH $D_3$ and phytase. These data suggest that interaction between $1{\alpha}$-OH $D_3$ and phytase at 2.9 g/kg of dietary NPP could significantly increase bone quality of 1- to 21-d-old broilers, while not improving growth performance.