Nutrition
Why feed buys phosphorus
Animals need phosphorus every day and plants hold plenty of it, yet feed mills buy millions of tonnes of mineral phosphate. The reason is phytate, and it explains why demand differs so much between species and countries.
By Guillaume Milochau · Published October 23, 2026 · 6 min read
Phosphorus is the third most expensive nutrient in a feed formula, after energy and protein. Animals need it every day, the plants they eat hold plenty of it, and yet the feed industry buys several million tonnes of mineral phosphate a year. The reason lies in one molecule: phytic acid.