Effect of cassava (Manihot esculenta) foliage on nutrition, parasite infection and growth of lambs

The effects of feeding wilted cassava foliage (WCF) on the growth of Martinik lambs and the parasite Haemonchus contortus (Hc) were evaluated. Thirty 6-month-old Martinik lambs (body weight: 20.3±1.6 kg) were allocated to one of the three treatments. The basal diet consisted of Dichanthium spp. hay ad libitum plus cassava tuber (450 g/lamb/day). In addition, depending on the experimental treatment, they received alfalfa pellets (450 g/lamb/day) orWCF(650 g/lamb/day) orWCF(650 g/lamb/day) + PEG (25 g/lamb/day). At the beginning of the trial, each lamb was inoculated with a single dose of 10,000 thirdstage larvae of Hc. The mean faecal egg count decreased by 41% in lamb fed WCF relative to the lucerne control level. Egg development to third-stage larvae was reduced by 60% when excreted by lambs fed on WCF compared to those fed on lucerne. Given the results obtained with animals receiving PEG, the positive effect of WCF on the reduction of Hc parasites may be explained by the action of condensed tannins. The action of the latter on worm fertility is suspected. Due to the high fill value (ADL) relative to the lucerne diet, the consumption of WCF provides limited total energy intake (48.0 g vs. 57.6 g of digestible dry matter per kg of metabolic weight) and has a depressive effect on lamb growth (120.8 g/d vs. 163.5 g/d).