Abstract 222

Ravindran,-V; Kornegay,-ET; Rajaguru,-ASB; Notter,-DR

Dep. Animal Science, Univ. Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.

Journal-of-the-Science-of-Food-and-Agriculture. 1987, 41: 1, 45-53; 24 ref.

Two feeding trials were to evaluate cassava (Manihot esculenta) leaf meal (CLM) as a replacement for coconut oil meal (COM) in tropical diets for pigs. In each trial, 35 Large White X Landrace pigs (initial weight 14.5 kg) were limit fed on diets containing CLM 0, 133, 267 and 400 g/kg substituted for equal amounts (w/w) of COM in a basal diet containing protein at 179 g/kg. An extra-period Latin-square changeover design with 2-week periods was used. Average daily gain and feed efficiency were improved when diets containing CLM 133 g/kg were given, which may be attributed to the higher lysine content of CLM. Daily gain and feed efficiency of pigs fed on diets containing CLM 267 g/kg were similar to those on the basal diet. Poor performance of pigs fed on the diets with CLM 400 g/kg 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 on 16 barrows, initial weight 37.2 kg. Apparent digestibility coefficients for DM, 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 results indicate that cassava leaf protein is utilized efficiently although other nutrients in CLM are not as digestible as those in COM.