Nutritional value of cassava meal in diets for geese

Abstract

Three trials were conducted with geese of the Rhine breed (strain of Artiguéres). In the first trial, the apparent and true metabolizable energy values adjusted to zero nitrogen balance (AMEn and TMEn, respectively) of cassava meal for growing geese at the age of 9 weeks were measured. The AMEn and TMEn were determined to be 12.48 MJ kg −1 and 12.59 MJ kg −1, respectively. In the second trial, the metabolizable energy value and protein digestibility of diets containing 0, 150, 300 and 450 g kg −1 cassava were measured. There was no difference between the determined and calculated energy values for diets, but protein digestibility was found to decrease with an increase in the level of cassava meal in the diets. In trial 3, diets containing the same levels of cassava meal as those of trial 2 were used to study effects on performance of geese from 5 to 12 weeks of age. The inclusion of up to 450 g kg −1 cassava meal in geese diets had no significant effect on animal performance and carcass quality.