The objective of this work was to compare the efficiency of different levels of phytase with the use of inorganic phosphate (dicalcium phosphate) when added to diets with or without defatted rice bran (DRB). One hundred and twenty eight pigs with average initial weight of 21.6 <FONT FACE=Symbol>±</FONT> 2.4 kg were housed in collective boxes for the pig performance evaluation in the growing and finishing phase. The pigs were slaughtered with an average weight of 95.42 <FONT FACE=Symbol>±</FONT> 5.3 kg and the metacarpus bones were collected to determine the calcium and phosphorus content. Eight treatments were used with four diets being formulated without DRB (corn-soybean meal) and the other four diets with DRB. The phytase levels added in the diets were 0, 750 or 1000 PU/kg of the diet. It was observed that adding phytase in diets without and with DRB improved the availability of the organic phosphorus. The addition of phytase at levels of 750 or 1000 PU/kg, with or without DRB in the diet, allows the withdraw of the inorganic phosphorus source from diet if considering pig performance. However, the bone characteristics are affected when the diets with phytase were not supplemented with a source of inorganic phosphorus.
availability; calcium; enzyme; phosphorus; phytate
