GRAIN REPLACEMENT VALUE OF CASSAVA PEELS FOR GROWING GOATS

This experiment involved 24 West African dwarf goats, aged 14-16 months and weighing 13-15 kg body weight (BW). They were offered isonitrogenous concentrates, in which ground maize was replaced (in percentages) by 0, 50 and 100 of sun-dried cassava peels (CSP). Poultry droppings supplied the total crude protein (CP) of concentrates, fed as supplement to grass (Cynodon nlemfuensis). The experiment lasted 90 days. Treatment effects on ad lib dry matter (DM) intake were not significant but all animals consumed 5.4-5.6% of BW as DM and about 67% of the total DM intake came from the supplements. Growth rate and digestibility values of DM, crude fiber, CP, energy (DE), serum urea-N (SUN) and plasma glucose (PG) decreased with increase in dietary CSP. The consistent trends were significant (P < 0.5) except for SUN and PG (P < 0.05). The results underscored the importance of CSP as feedingstuff in time of drought and scarcity of grains.