ABSTRACTDetermination of the peel content of cassava tuber, nutrient composition of cassava peel and four trials were conducted to evaluate the nutritive value of cassava peel meal in pig diets. Cassava peels constitute 11 .80% of cassava tuber on dry matter basis. The rind on the other hand constitute 8.05% of cassava on dry matter basis. Results of the chemical analysis show that cassava peel contains 91.39% dry matter, 6.46% crude protein, 9.63% crude fibre, 1.13% ether extract, 7.16% ash and 75.80% Nitrogen Free Extract (NFE). The gross energy of cassava peel was 3978.65 Kcal/kg while the free hydrocyanic acid level was 140.90mg/kg. In the first trial, Twenty (20) Cross-bred (Large white X Landrace) pigs of average initial liveweight of 9.4kg (range, 9.30 - 9.50kg) were fed diets formulated to contain 20% crude protein. Cassava peel meal was included in the diets at 0, 7.5, 15.0, 22.50 or 30% levels during a 42-day trial. Average daily gain (ADG) and Feed/gain (F/G) values showed a gradual but non-significant decline as the level of CPM in the diet increased. Feed intake increased non-significantly as the level of CPM in the diet increased. Intake of crude fibre and HCN increased significantly with increasing level of CPM in the diet but the pigs showed no observable symptoms of cyanide toxicity. All the other parameters measured were not significant. The result favours the use of CPM in weaner pig diets upto the level of 30%. In the second trial, which lasted for 49 days, twenty crossbred (Large White X Landrace) pigs averaging 7.65kg (7.43 - 7.90kg) were fed five iso-nitrogenous diet:: in which dried cassava peel meal was included at 0, 14.22, 28.44, 42.65 or 56.87 replacing 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% respectively of maize in the control diet. Average daily gain (ADG) and cost per kg gain differed significantly (P<0.05) across the treatments while the average daily feed intake and feed efficiency values were non-significant (P>0.05). The results showed that weaner pigs of the weight used can be fed up to 42.65% ( 43.0%) CPM in their diets. In the third trial, the digestibility and retention of nitrogen of diets in which CPM replaced maize at 0, 25, 50, 75 or 100% levels, corresponding to CPM inclusion levels of 0, 14.22, 28.44, 42.65 and 56.87% respectively was studied using 10 crossbred (Large White X Landrace) boars with an average initial live weight of 36kg. Nitrogen digestibility was significantly depressed (P<0.05) as more of maize was replaced by CPM. There were no significant differences in nitrogen retention between the control and CPM diets up to 42.65% level of inclusion. However, there were significant depression in nitrogen intake and retention as the level of inclusion of CPM increased from 42.65 to 56.87% corresponding to 100% replacement of maize in the diet. The results suggest that CPM can be included in pig diets up to 42% but can not totally replace maize in the diet. In the fourth trial, sixteen cross-bred pigs of average initial liveweight of 35.17 kg (range, 34.90 - 35.45kg) were fed 16% CP rations formulated to be isocaloric (3.13 Mcal/ME/kg) with the control diet. Cassava peel was included in the diets at levels of 0, 19.10, 38.20 and 57.28%. This corresponds to replacement values of 0, 25, 75 and 100% for maize. There were no significant differences in average feed intake, daily weight gain and feed/gain between treatments. There were also no significant differences in dressing percentage, backfat thickness, loin eye area and the prime cuts. The results suggest that growing-finishing pigs of the weight used in this study can tolerate up to 57% level of inclusion of CPM in their diets, corresponding to 100% replacitent of maize by CPM, if the diets are formulated to be iso-nitrogenous and isocaloric with an all-maize based control diets.
