Phytase, citric acid, and 1α-hydroxycholecalciferol improve phytate phosphorus utilization in chicks fed a corn-soybean meal diet

shown that phytase, citric acid, and 1α-hydroxycholecal-ciferol [1α-(OH) D3] individually improve phytate P use in young chicks fed a P-deficient corn-soybean meal (C-SBM) diet. The current study was conducted to evaluate combinations of these additives on phytate P utilization. In 3 chick experiments, male crossbred chicks (New Hampshire × Columbian) were fed experimental diets from 8 to 21 d of age. The C-SBM basal diet used in all assays contained no supplemental P and was calculated to provide 23 % CP, 0.13 % nonphytate P (0.39 % total P), 0.62 % Ca, 25 mg of cholecalciferol/kg, and 3,260 kcal of TME/kg. In all 3 experiments, factorial arrangements (2 × 2 or 2 × 2 × 2) were used to evaluate 2 levels of phytas