Standardized total tract digestibility of phosphorus in high-protein sunflower meal fed to growing pigs with or without phytase supplementation

Abstract The objective of this research was to determine the coefficient of apparent (CATTD) and standardized total tract digestibility (CSTTD) of phosphorus (P) in high-protein sunflower meal (HP-SFM) fed to growing pigs with or without phytase supplementation. Twenty-four pigs (19.5 ± 1.9 kg) were assigned to 1 of 4 diets to give 6 replicates per diet. The experimental diets consisted of a corn-soybean meal-based basal diet and a diet containing 300 g/kg of HP-SFM, both of which were fed without or with phytase supplementation at 500 phytase units/kg. The CATTD and CSTTD of P in experimental diets were determined and then the CATTD and CSTTD of P in HP-SFM were calculated using the difference method. Pigs were fed their diets at approximately 2.8 times the maintenance energy requirement. Pigs were housed individually in metabolism crates for 15 days including 10 days for adaptation to experimental diets and 5 days for total collection of feces. Phytase supplementation decreased (P