Research being carried out at the University of Illinois and funded by AB Vista will significantly improve the accuracy of calcium (Ca) provision in growing pigs by generating much-needed standardized or true total tract digestibility (STTD or TTTD) values for Ca across a range of common feed ingredients.

The study will determine digestibility values both with and without the addition of a phytase, since any reduction in phytate-Ca binding through phytase use will increase Ca availability, leading to potential oversupply.

The initial phase of the project, which is being led by the University’s Professor Hans Stein, used canola meal as the primary source of Ca. The trials generated Ca endogenous loss values of 0.160 g/kg dry matter intake (DMI) and 0.189 g/kg DMI for untreated and phytase-treated diets, respectively, and corresponding average Ca TTTD values for canola meal of 46.6% and 70.3%.

The next phase of the research is to establish Ca TTTD values for a wide range of commonly used plant- and animal-based feed ingredients.

For more information, contact AB Vista at 44(0)1672 517 650 (UK office), (954) 278 3965 (U.S. office) or [email protected].