Table 5. Influence of dietary Na level and supplemental phytase on the ileal pH, excreta DM, ammonia and uric acid concentration of 22–24-day old broilers

Na levle1)	Phytase2)	Ileal pH	DM (%)	Ammonia (mg/L)	Uric acid (g/L)
Low	None	6.24	24.8	39.8a	16.0
	Plus	6.02	25.0	39.4a	17.6
Mid	None	6.04	23.4	33.3ab	25.1
	Plus	6.00	22.6	34.9ab	29.3
High	None	6.61	20.7	30.1b	32.0
	Plus	6.54	20.1	37.9a	30.2
SEM		0.44	1.23	0.33	0.84
Main effects
Na level
Low		6.13	24.9a	32.6	16.8b
Mid		6.02	23.0a	34.1	27.2a
High		6.57	20.4b	34.0	31.1a
	Phytase
	None	6.29	23.0	27.7b	24.4
	Plus	6.18	22.6	37.4a	25.7
Source of variation
Na		ns	***	ns	***
Phytase		ns	ns	***	ns
Na × phytase		ns	ns	**	ns

Means were obtained from 6 replicates (2 birds per cage).
Means within a column without common superscript are statistically different (p < 0.05).
Low, 1.5 g Na/kg; Mid, 2.5 Na/kg; High, 3.5 g Na/kg.
²⁾None, without phytase; plus, with (500 U/kg) phytase.
p > 0.05; ^** p < 0.01; ^*** p < 0.001.