Effects of feeding different levels of dried cassava leaves (Manihot esculenta, Crantz) based concentrates with Panicum maximum basal on the performance of growing West African Dwarf goats

The feeding value of dried cassava leaves as supplement in the diet was investigated in an experiment with West African Dwarf goats at different inclusion levels of 0, 20, 40 and 60% of DM respectively, using guinea grass as a basal feed. The study lasted for 112 days during which feed intake, performance characteristics, digestibility and nitrogen utilization were monitored in 40 male goats using a completely randomized design. Dry matter (DM) intake from guinea grass was significantly (P < 0.05; 0.01) increased from 0% to 60% inclusion of dried cassava leaves in the diet. The total DM intakes were 482, 526, 537 and 528 g/d for the 0, 20, 40 and 60% of dried cassava leaves in the diet, respectively. The body weight gain of the animals were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than in the control group. The highest gain was recorded in goats with 60% of dried cassava leaves in the diet (52.9 g/d) and lowest for the control (33.8 g/d). The inclusion of dried cassava leaves significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the apparent digestibility of DM, neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF), while it increased the apparent digestibility of crude protein (CP) and ether extract (EE), resulting in higher nitrogen balance (3.75 g/d) at 60% of the supplement. In conclusion, supplementing a basal diet of guinea grass (Panicum maximum) with dried cassava leaves improved DM intake, weight gain, apparent digestibility and N-retention in WAD goats. The inclusion level of dried cassava in the diet can be up to 60% level in a compounded ration for ruminant animals on DM basis. (C) 2009 Elsevier By. All rights reserved.