The Utilization of Phytate Phosphorus by Poultry—A Review

THE metabolism of phosphorus derived from plant tissues is one of the least understood and most debated subjects in the field of mineral nutrition. A small proportion of the total phosphorus in plants is inorganic phosphates located primarily in the vegetative tissues. Most of the phosphorus is in a variety of organic compounds found primarily in the seed, and phytate phosphorus is the predominant organic form. The amount of phytate phosphorus utilized by animals has economic importance because seeds are the major plant-source ingredients used in feeds. Many scientists currently use the rule that monogastric animals metabolize only one-third of the phosphorus in plant materials. This assumption is based on the report by the Committee on Animal Nutrition, National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council (NAS-NRC) (1960) that approximately 30% of the phosphorus in plant materials in non-phytate and can be considered to be utilized by animals. Many scientists using a …