Effect of potato on kibble characteristics and diet digestibility and palatability to adult dogs and puppies

The objective was to evaluate kibble characteristics, coefficients of total tract apparent digestibility (CTTAD) of nutrients, metabolisable energy (ME), palatability, and faecal characteristics of diets containing potato starch (PS) fed to adult dogs and puppies. Four diets containing 0, 100, 200, or 300 g/kg PS, at the expense of corn, were evaluated in three experiments. Experiment 1 evaluated the physical characteristics of the diets. Experiment 2 evaluated diet digestibility and faecal characteristics in eight adult dogs (7 years old) and eight puppies (6 months old) according to a double 4 × 4 Latin square design. Experiment 3 evaluated palatability (0 vs. 100 g/kg of PS and 0 vs. 300 g/kg of PS diets) using 16 puppies. Diets with the highest PS level presented the largest kibbles expansion ratio, greater hardness and number of pores while the density was decreased (p < .001). The inclusion of PS increased (p < .05) CTTAD of dry matter (DM) and gross energy, and ME of diets and faecal DM, for adult dogs and puppies, and CTTAD of crude protein and total starch in puppies (p < .05). Potato starch reduced ammonia levels in the faeces of puppies (p < .001). Faecal pH and score were not influenced by dietary PS inclusion either in adult dogs or puppies (p > .05). Puppies preferred diets (p < .05) containing higher PS levels. The addition of PS in the diets produces kibbles with a high expansion index and low density. Potato starch is a good starch source for adult dogs, and particularly for puppies, as it improves the digestibility of dietary nutrients and increases faecal DM, in addition of being more palatable than corn.HighlightsPotato starch increases expansion and reduces density of kibbles. Potato starch presents higher digestibility and metabolizable energy than corn. Potato starch improves diet palatability.