| Abstract: | Two feeding trials were conducted to evaluate cassava leaf meal (CLM) as a replacement for coconut oil meal (COM) in tropical pig diets. In each trial, 36 pigs (initial weight, 14.5 kg) were limit fed diets containing 0, 133, 267 and 400 g kg?1 CLM substituted for equal amounts (w/w) of COM in a 179 g kg?1 protein basal diet. An extra-period Latin-square changeover design with 2-week periods was used. Average daily gain and feed efficiency were improved when diets containing 133 g kg?1 CLM were fed, which may be attributed to the higher lysine content of CLM. Daily gain and feed efficiency of pigs fed diets containing 267 g kg?1 CLM were similar to those on the basal diet. Poor performance of pigs fed the 400 g kg?1 CLM diets may be explained by the low energy content and the presence of anti-nutritional factors, such as cyanide and tannin, in CLM. Two balance trials were conducted using 16 barrows (castrated male pigs, initial weight, 37.2 kg). Apparent digestibility coefficients for dry matter, energy, protein, cell contents, cell wall and hemicellulose were depressed, whereas those for ash and lignin were improved as CLM was substituted for COM. The data indicate that cassava leaf protein is utilised efficiently, although other nutrients in CLM are not as digestible as those in COM. |
