Scientists at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) in Pakistan have found that dried potato powder can successfully be used as a cheaper energy source in animal feed and can be added up to 30 percent in ruminant concentrates without any negative effect.
They conducted an experiment to investigate the feeding potential of potato waste in ‘Nili Ravi’ buffalo bulls. The project was funded by the Pakistan Science Foundation, Islamabad.
While visiting the project at the university farms, UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said there was a significant gap between supply and demand of feed resources for livestock in Pakistan. It was necessary to increase the availability of feedstuffs to meet the maintenance and production requirements of the animals in order to manage this shortage.
During a briefing, Dr Muhmamamd Sharif said the use of non-conventional feed resources (NCFR) in the animal feeding system was one of the solutions. Feedstuffs such as citrus pulp, sugar beet pulp, poultry litter, kitchen waste and cull potato can be used as NCFR. Many of these NCFR’s were high in protein, energy and minerals that’s why it can be used to fulfill the supply and demand gap.
The production of potatoes in Pakistan is 4.6 million tons, he said, adding that some potatoes were not suitable for marketing due to small size, damaged and not fit for marketing, known as culled potatoes. The potato culls or processing waste were available in bulk which can be used in animal feed after drying.
During processing, around half of the potato solids, particularly the peel, were discarded, accounting for 15 to 40 percent of total potato waste.
Prof Dr Qamar Bilal said dried potato concentrate was an economical energy source compared to grains and it can be added to substitute grains in ruminant diets. Due to the high cost of yellow corn, dried potato concentrate had been identified as a low cost alternative and it can easily replace maize.
