The Supplementation of Cassava Leaves to Optimize the Use of Palm Press Fiber as Ruminant Feed

Abstract

The aims of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of ammoniated (palm press fiber) PPF and cassava leaves supplementation on digestibility and liveweight gain of sheep. The experiment was conducted at UPT and the Ruminant Nutrition Laboratory, Faculty of Animal Science, Andalas University. The treatment was arranged in randomized blok design consisting of three treatments and five replicates. The total number of experimental units were 15 units, each unit consisted of a head 0f 1 – 1.5 years old local rams with the initial live weight 10 – 14 kg. The treatments were A = 50% nature grass and 50% concentrate; B = 50% of PPF, previously treated by 6% urea and 50% concentrate; C = B + 15% cassava leaves. The result indicated that animals on the amoniated PPF diet (B) has lower digestibility than those on nature grass (51.16 vs 64, 51%). The supplementation of 15 % cassava leaves increased the digestibility of amoniated PPF diet (C) 51.16 to 57.98%. The liveweight gain of rams fed PPF diet with cassava leaves supplementation were better than those of rams fed diet B (54 g/day vs 21 g/day). Keywords : palm press fiber, cassava leaves, digestibility