PROXIMATE COMPOSITION OF CASSAVA PEELS ENSILED WITH CASSAVA, GLIRICIDIA AND LEUCAENA LEAF MEALS PREPARED UNDER A HUMID ENVIRONMENT

An experiment to determine the proximate composition of ensiled cassava peels, cassava peels + Gliricidia sepium, Cassava peels + cassava leaves and cassava peels + Leucaena leucocephala was conducted. Proximate composition of the fresh samples was equally determined. Results obtained were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) as applicable to a completely Randomized Design (CRD). Significant means were separated by Duncan’s Multiple Range Test. Silage samples did not differ significantly (P> 0.05) in their physical properties, however, they differed significantly (P<0.05) in their chemical properties. Silage prepared from a mixture of cassava peels + Leucaena leucocephala had the highest crude protein content (24.75%) while that prepared from cassava peels alone had the lowest crude protein content (4.50%). The crude fiber (CF) content of the silages ranged from 13.83% in cassava peel ensiled with Leucaena leucocephala to 17.21% in cassava peels ensiled alone. The calcium content of the silages were significantly different (P<0.05) with the highest (3.01%) in silage prepared from cassava peel + L. leucocephala.  The silages were excellently prepared judging from the pH range of 4.17 – 4.32. The silage prepared from mixtures of the cassava peels and the leaf meals proved superior.