ABSTRACT

Four West African Dwarf (WAD) rams averaging 11.08kg nd 9 —14 months of age were fed in a study to determine the intake and digestibity of fermented cassava peel/yeast slurry diets. The control diet (A) contained 100% fermented dried cassava peels. Diets B, C and D consisted of 85:15; 75:25; 65:35 percent dried fermented cassava peel-brewers yeast slurry respectively. The diets were assigned to the animals in a 4 x 4 Latin square design. Each animal received each test dk3t for 7 days and during the last 3 days urine and faces were collected. The diets (A, B, C, D) contained 5.60; 1.24; 12.95; 1.41; 13.00; 1.60; and 14.70, 2.09. crude protein (%) and gross energy MJ/KgDM) respectively. Weekly body weights and daily feed intake were recorded. Dry matter intake, nutrient digesUbility and nitrogen balance were also computed. The results showed that incorporLting dried fermented cassava peels with brewers yeast slurry in the diets of sheep improved feed intaKe but the effect was not significant (P > 0.05). The dry matter intake vakie (g/davAikg° 75) were 41.2, 58.4, 60.6 and 57.3. With the exception of DM (37.35, 51.62, 56.10. 63.38%) and EE (69.33, 63.17, 50.39, 39.82%), all other nutrients were digested to the same extent (P>005), B (353.00), C (338.04) and 0 (363.90) did not differ (P>0.05). Average nitrogen intake (g/day) was significantly different rnong the treatments (P<0.05) whereas faucal — N and urinary — N did not differ. Apparent N — digestibility values were 26.60, 44.5, 38.74 and 47.34 perc..nt for the respective dietary treatments. The values for absorbed — N (gIdayIwk:° 75) were 54.26, 83.04, 83.44 and 85.75 percent respectively for diets A, B, C and D. The test diets promoted passive nitrogen balance among the experimental animals.