| dc.description.abstract | Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) leaves, the waste of the tapioca flour industry, contain
high levels of crude protein that can be used as a complementary forage for low quality field grass.
The study was conducted from September to November 2009 in the Dairy Nutrition Laboratory of
Bogor Agricultural University. This study sought to analyze the quality of cassava leaf silages
supplemented with different additives such as molasses, rice bran and tapioca flour and to determine
their digestibility and fermentability in vitro. This study consisted of two experiments: 1) measuring
the physical properties of silages and 2) measuring the in vitro fermentability and digestibility of
silages. A completely randomized design was used in the first experiment and a randomized complete
block design in the second experiment. The treatments were: K (cassava leaves without additive) as a
control, M5 (K + 5% molasses), M10 (K + 10% molasses), RB5 (K + 5% rice bran), RB10 (K + 10%
rice bran), T5 (K + 5% tapioca flour) and T10 (K + 10% tapioca flour). The variables measured were
colour, odour, pH, water content, NH3, VFA, and dry matter and organic matter digestibility. Data
were analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and any significant differences between means
were further tested using Least Significant Difference (LSD). The results showed that the silages with
any additives had better quality than that of the control. The quality of silages with molasses
additives at either a 5% or 10% level were better than those of silages with other additives. Types and
levels of additives significantly affected (P<0.05) in vitro fermentability and digestibility. In overall
quality assessments, a molasses additive at a level of 5% produced the best quality of silage. | id |
