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Abstract

Two experiments were carried out to study the effect of duration of wilting (0, 24 or 48 h) on HCN content of leaves from "sweet" and "bitter" varieties of cassava and on their nutritive value for pigs as measured by digestibility and N balance. In the first experiment, the duration of wilting was 0, 24 or 48 h. In the second experiment, the leaves from the bitter and sweet varieties were fed to pigs, either fresh or after 24 h wilting, as the only supplementary source of protein in diets based in broken rice and sugar palm juice.

It is concluded that amino acid imbalance, levels of cell wall constituents and condensed tannins are more important than HCN levels in limiting the usefulness of cassava leaves for pigs.

Key words: Cassava leaves, HCN, varieties, wilting

How to cite this paper

Chhay Ty, Preston T R and Borin K 2007: Effect of variety and wilting on HCN content of cassava leaves and on intake, digestibility and N retention by growing pigs. Livestock Research for Rural Development. Volume 19, Article #135. Retrieved printDate()September 12, 2007, from http://www.cipav.org.co/lrrd/lrrd19/9/chha19135.htm