Chemical composition and nutritive value of four varieties of cassava leaves grown in South‐Western Nigeria

The nutritive value of leaves of four varieties of cassava – MS 6, TMS 30555, Idileruwa and TMS 30572 was evaluated based on their chemical composition and in vitro fermentation. Crude protein (CP) contents of cassava leaves ranged from 177 to 240 g/kg dry matter (DM), with TMS 30555 showing the highest CP contents. Neutral detergent fibre (NDFom) and acid detergent fibre (ADFom) contents of cassava leaves ranged from 596 to 662 and 418 to 546 g/kg DM respectively. Condensed tannin (CT) and hydrocyanic acid contents ranged from 1.0 to 3.8 g/kg and 58.5 to 86.7 mg/kg DM respectively. The range of volatile fatty acids (VFA) in the supernatant after in vitro incubation of the cassava varieties was: acetate (14.7–31.5 mmol/l); propionate (4.5–6.3 mmol/l); butyrate (3.1–3.9 mmol/l); valerate (0.4–0.6 mmol/l); iso‐butyrate (0.6–1.3 mmol/l); iso‐valerate (1.1–1.9 mmol/l). The acetate:propionate ratio resulting from fermentation of TMS 30555 was higher(p