Utilization of cassava leaves as supplement to improve Bligon goat performance

Agricultural by-products, especially from cassava, can be easily found all over Indonesia. Parts of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) plant that can be used for animal feed are leaves, stem skin covering, tuber (in dry or wet condition, with or without skin). Cassava leaves cannot be used freely as animal feed, because of the persistence of anti-quality, i.e. Cyanide Acid (HCN) and tannin substance. Cassava leaves can be found easily in the dry season, when generally the presence of forage as ruminant's diet is so limited. This research was conducted to observe the potency of cassava leaves as supplement for Bligon goat's diet. This research used 24 mature Bligon goats in their early pregnancy. The goats were divided into 3 treatments, those are: C as Control Diet (conventional diet which usually be given by the farmers); T I or Treatment 1 (Control Diet + 300 g cassava leaves); and T2 or Treatment 2 (Control Diet + 260 g cassava leaves + 200 dried cassava tuber). The result showed that cassava leaves supplementation increased EE and TDN consumption. From total consumption, cassava leaves and dried cassava tuber increased DM, OM, CP, EE, and TDN digestibility, but reduced CF digestibility. The effect of anti-coccidia did not come up optimally shown no significant differences of the number of coccidian oocyste in the goat faeces. However, the amount of coccidian oocyste in the feces reduced 1666.67 on the Ti and 2500 on the T2 as compared to those on the C (5000)