Effects of replacement of corn with potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tuber meal in broiler chicken diets

This study was conducted to evaluate the nutritional value of potato tuber meal (PTM) for broiler chickens during growing (22–42 days) and finishing (43–49 days) periods. A total of 360 1-day-old male broiler chicks (Ross 308) were fed a corn-soybean meal-based diet until 21 days of age, then randomly assigned to six experimental diets, in which corn was replaced by PTM at 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50% levels by weight, respectively. Replacement of corn with 10%, 20%, 30% and 40% PTM had no effect on feed intake, bodyweight gain, and feed conversion ratio (P > 0.05). However, replacing 50% of corn with PTM resulted in a significant reduction (P < 0.05) in bodyweight gains from 22 to 42, and 22 to 49 days of age. Moreover, there was a significant (P < 0.05) increase in feed conversion ratio when 50% of corn was replaced by PTM. Corn replacement with PTM did not affect (P > 0.05) carcass and organ weights of broilers at 42 days of age. However, compared with the Control group, the relative length of the ileum was increased (P < 0.05) by inclusion of PTM in the diets, and it was statistically different for broiler fed diets in which 20% or 50% of corn was replaced by PTM. The serum concentrations of triglycerides, cholesterol, urea, and uric acid were not affected (P > 0.05) by diet inclusion of PTM. Replacing 50% of dietary corn with PTM significantly (P < 0.05) decreased apparent ileal digestibility of protein at 42 days of age. The excreta content of uric acid was not affected by diet inclusion of PTM. In conclusion, our results showed that PTM can replace dietary corn up to 40% during the growing and finishing periods with no adverse effects on growth performance of broiler chickens. Also, replacing up to 40% of corn with PTM in broiler diet had no adverse effect on carcass composition, blood constituents, and apparent ileal digestibility of protein at 42 days of age.