6-phytase and/or endo-β-xylanase and -glucanase reduce weaner piglet´s diarrhea and improve bone parameters

Abstract The present study evaluated the effect of a 6-phytase of bacterial origin (NatuphosⓇ E) alone or with a carbohydrase combination (NatugrainⓇ TS) dietary supplement for weaned piglets on growth performance, diarrhea incidence, and bone parameters. One hundred forty-four weaned piglets were assigned to six treatments with eight replicates per treatment, using a randomized block design. The study lasted 42 d. The treatment diets were: T1 - a control based on corn and soybean meal, meeting all nutrient requirements for weaned piglets; T2 - reduced calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), metabolizable energy (ME) and amino acids content; T3 - T2 diet + an additional reduction of ME; T4 - T2 + 500 FTUs/kg of feed; T5 - T2 + 1000 FTUs/kg of feed; T6 - T3 + 500 FTUs/kg of feed + 100 g of a carbohydrase combination (5,600 TXU.g−1 and 2,500 TGU.g−1)/ton of feed. The statistical analysis was separated into three sets of comparisons: 1) T1, T2 and T3 and 2) T1, T3 and T6, both of which were submitted to ANOVA and, when P