The effects of feeding various levels of nonphytate phosphorus in the starter phase on broiler growth performance and bone characteristics in subsequent phases

The ability of broilers to adapt to a deficiency or excess of nonphytate P (nPP) in the starter phase without any negative effect on growth performance and bone characteristics in subsequent phases has received very little attention. Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of feeding marginally deficient or excessive P in the starter phase on growth and bone responses of broilers in subsequent phases. Feeding below the nPP requirement for 0 to 14 d resulted in better adaptation to lower nPP in the later phases, whereas feeding above the nPP requirement for 0 to 21 d resulted in a decrease in FE.