Phosphorus quality and absorption across species.

1. Phosphorus quality and digestibility
across species
Dr David Cadogan
Feedworks

2. Scope of the presentation
• Terminology of Phosphorus (P) in nutrition
• Total P, Phytate P, digestible P
• Why different P sources influence growth, feed intake and health
• What the Ruminant world can learn from monogastric P nutrition
• Digestibility of Phosphorus from different INORGANIC sources varies from <45%-92%
• Traps of cheap P sources

3. Phosphorus (P) essential for growth and health
Phosphorus is important for;
• Bone growth
• Energy source and metabolism (ATP)
• Fat/lipid production
• Cell membranes
• Egg Production
• Milk Production
• Immune system

4. Marginal Phosphorus causes…
• Significant reduction in feed intake*
• Large increase in mortalities
• Loss of growth
• Poor bone growth and strength
• Low reproductive performance
• Low milk production
The digestible P requirement ranges from 0.30%-0.55% in monogastrics
Professor Robert Gous

5. Phosphorus availability MONOGASTRICS
• Diets formulated on DIGESTIBLE or AVAILABLE Phosphorus (P)
• Only 25% of ORGANIC P is available for pigs and poultry
• Most P from grains/plant protein meals is “locked” away in the form of Phytate
• Phosphorus availability is strongly influenced by the amount of Calcium in the diet
• Ideal ratio of Calcium to Digestible/available P is 2:1 (layers 10:1)

6. Measuring Phosphorus availability in INORGANIC P
sources (eg DCP, MCP)
• Citric acid & Ammonium citrate are poor indicators of Phosphorus
digestibility
• Water solubility of Phosphates is a much better analysis
• Total tract P digestibility is an accurate measurement for ingredients and
diets (related to ileal digestibility)
• The endogenous loss of P is consistent

7. •Endogenous losses
7
Nutrient from diet Nutrient of endogenous origin
Slide curtesy of Prof Hans Stein

8. Comparison of different Phosphorus sources (INRA, Premier Atlas 2016)
Ingredient Total P % Amount of
Digestible P %*
P Digestibility
Pigs
%
Citric Acid
Solubility
P Solubility in
water
Monosodium Phosphate
(MSP)
25.5 23.0 90 >98% >95%
Monocalcium Phosphate
(MCP)
22-22.7 20.3 75-89 85-95% 75-95%
Mono Dicalcium Phosphate
(MDCP)
21.3 16.6 65-78 80-95% 50-85%
Dicalcium Phosphate (DCP) 18 13.1 55-72 70-90% 8-20%
Tricalcium Phosphate (TCP) (16)18 10.0 42-55 40-80% <1%
* Ileal Digestibility

9. Phosphorus digestibility is similar between pigs and
poultry…. Ruminants?

10. Ingredient Total P (%) Digestible P PIG
(%)
Digestible P Poultry
(%)
Monosodium Phosphate MSP 25.5 22.9 (90%) 22.7 (89%)
Monocalcium Phosphate MCP 22.7 20.3 (89%) 19.5 (86%)
MonoDical Phosphate MDCP 21.3 16.8 (78%) 16.8 (78%)
Dicalcium Phosphate DCP 18.0 13.1 (73%) 14.1 (78%)
Tricalcium Phosphate TCP 18.0 10.0 (55%) 10.0 (55%)
Premier Atlas, INRA, CVB etc
What is the Phosphorus digestible in INORGANIC Phosphate sources?

11. Ingredient Total P (%) Digestible P PIG
(%)
Digestible P Poultry
(%)
Digestible P
Ruminants
(%)
Monosodium Phosphate 25.5 22.9 (90%) 22.7 (89%) 22.8 (89%)
Monocalcium Phosphate 22.7 20.3 (89%) 19.5 (86%) 19.8 (87%)
MonoDical Phosphate 21.3 16.8 (78%) 16.8 (78%) 16.7 (78%)
Dicalcium Phosphate 18.0 13.1 (73%) 14.1 (78%) 13.7 (75%)
Tricalcium Phosphate 18.0 10.0 (55%) 10.0 (55%) 10.0 (55%)
Premier Atlas 2016
What is the Phosphorus digestible in INORGANIC Phosphate sources?

12. Ingredient Total P (%) Digestible P PIG (%) Digestible P Poultry
(%)
Digestible P Ruminants
(%)
Monosodium Phosphate 25.5 22.9 (90%) 22.7 (89%) 22.7 (89%)
Monocalcium Phosphate 22.7 20.3 (89%) 19.5 (86%) 19.5 (86%)
MonoDical Phosphate 21.3 16.6 (78%) 16.8 (78%) 16.8 (78%)
Dicalcium Phosphate 18.0 13.1 (73%) 14.1 (78%) 14.1 (78%)
Tricalcium Phosphate 18.0 10.0 (55%) 10.0 (55%) 10.0 (55%)
Wheat 12% 0.32 0.11 (34%) 0.12 (37%) ?
Sorghum 0.28 0.08 (18%) 0.08 (29%) ?
Barley 11% 0.30 0.10 (33%) 0.11 (37%) ?
Soybean 47% 0.75 0.25 (33%) 0.27 (36%) ?
Canola Meal 36% 0.93 0.28 (30%) 0.34 (37%) ?
Millmix/run 1.00 0.30 (30%) 0.37 (37%) ?
Field Peas 0.38 0.17 (45%) 0.16 (42%) ?
Lupins 0.30 0.14 (47%) 0.15 (50%) ?
Premier Atlas 2016

13. Plant
Phytate
28.2% Phosphorus, mostly unavailable

14. Phytase
14
Adapted from DuPont Axtra Phy presentation
Phytase reduces the antinutrient effects of phytate at low pH
Phytate is more soluble at low pH and more susceptible to phytase attack
Phytase Results in Lower
order esters
(IP5, IP4 etc.)
P release, improved
utilization of Ca and
protein
4
IP6
1
3
2
5
6
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P O
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P O
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O H
P
O O H
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P O
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15. Ingredient Total P (%) Digestible P PIG (%) Digestible P Poultry
(%)
Digestible P Ruminants
(%)
Monosodium Phosphate 25.5 22.9 (90%) 22.7 (89%) 22.7 (89%)
Monocalcium Phosphate 22.7 20.3 (89%) 19.5 (86%) 19.5 (86%)
MonoDical Phosphate 21.3 16.6 (78%) 16.8 (78%) 16.8 (78%)
Dicalcium Phosphate 18.0 13.1 (73%) 14.1 (78%) 14.1 (78%)
Tricalcium Phosphate 18.0 10.0 (55%) 10.0 (55%) 10.0 (55%)
Wheat 12% 0.32 0.11 (34%) 0.12 (37%) 0.22 (70%*)
Sorghum 0.28 0.08 (29%) 0.08 (29%) 0.16 (58%*)
Barley 11% 0.30 0.10 (33%) 0.11 (37%) 0.21 (70%*)
Soybean 47% 0.75 0.25 (33%) 0.27 (36%) 0.52 (69%*)
Canola Meal 36% 0.93 0.28 (30%) 0.34 (37%) 0.56 (60%*)
Millmix/run 1.00 0.30 (30%) 0.37 (37%) 0.68 (68%*)
Field Peas 0.38 0.17 (45%) 0.16 (42%) 0.33 (87%*)
Lupins 0.30 0.14 (47%) 0.15 (50%) 0.29 (97%*)
Premier Atlas 2016
* Assuming natural rumen phytase hydrolyses 50% of phytate and grains

16. Organic P digestibility is
related to rumen function!

17. What influences Phosphorus digestibility
Extract from Global Feeds Document

18. Mono-calcium phosphate produces better
performance than Dicalcium Phosphate
• In Broilers formulated to the same available P and Calcium levels (Bikker
et al, 2017)
• In pigs formulated to the same digestible P and Calcium (Veira et al, 2016)
• In milking goats formulated to the same P and Calcium levels (Ramirez-
Perez et al, 2009)

19. Change in type of inorganic Phosphorus
• 8-10 years ago there has been a major change in the broiler/poultry
industry moving from DCP to MDCP
• Now 90% using Monocalcium Phosphate due to better performance
• Pig industry are gradually moving from DCP to MDCP/MCP
• Is this the future for ruminants?

20. Most of the cheaper
Dicalcium Phosphate is
actually Tricalcium phosphate
with P digestibility at or
lower than 55%!!!

21. Analysis of Australian Inorganic Phosphate sources
Type of P MSP MCP MCP MDCP MDCP DCP DCP DCP DCP DCP DCP
Origin Europe N Africa N Africa China Morocco Vietnam China China China China China
Total Phosphorus (%) 25.0 22.7 23.1 21.1 21.5 18.4 17.8 17.9 18.8 18.0 18.1
Total Calcium (%) 0 15 15.9 16.7 16.4 24.3 25.6 38.2 17.3 31 24.3
Citric Acid Solubility
(%)
93 99 97 98 97 97 92 44 100 13 12
Water Solubility (%) 92 90 85 71 80 7.0 8 0.5 16.4 1 0.5
pH 5.7 3.4 3.4 3.7 3.7 7.2 7.5 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.1
Analysis conducted at Pacific Labs Singapore, Phosphea France and Global Feeds Spain: 2017-2019

23. Summary
• Marginal P reduces feed intake (and growth) and increases deaths
• P Digestibility in “modern” inorganic phosphates vary significantly
• Measure water solubility and calcium content… eg not only P and heavy metals
• Higher quality inorganic P improves performance
• Need to formulate on the digestibility of phosphorus, not total P!