Influence of Water Hyacinth Plus Dried Cassava Peels Supplementation on Nutrient Digestibility and Nitrogen Balance of Sheep

Background and Objective: Poor nutrition in the dry season is a critical constraint to ruminant production in the tropics, however, supplementation with protein feed is one method of ameliorating this problem.The aim of the study was to determine the effect of ensiled water hyacinth combined with dried cassava peels supplementation on digestibility and nitrogen balance in sheep fed NaOH-treated Rice Straw (TRS).Materials and Methods: Experimental diets were TRS, TRS and Water Hyacinth Leaves (WHL), TRS and Water Hyacinth Whole Plant (WHLS), TRS and Water Hyacinth Leaves Combined with dried Cassava Peels (WHL-CP) and TRS and water hyacinth whole plant combined with Dry Cassava Peels (WHLS-CP).Five matured rams (±26 kg) were used in a 5×5 Latin square design.Animals were put in metabolic crates and fitted with faecal bags and urine tubes.Data were collected for seven days after 14 days and analyzed using a one-way analysis of variance applicable to a 5×5 Latin square experiment.Means were separated using Least Significant Difference (LSD) at 5% probability level.Results: Dry matter digestibility was 52.2, 65.7, 68.3, 75.6 and 77.2%, for TRS, WHL, WHLS, WHL-CP and WHLS-CP, respectively (p<0.05).The WHL and WHLS had the highest crude protein digestibility.Nitrogen retention values were-4.6,1.3, 2.2, 2.6 and 3.3% for TRS, WHL, WHLS, WHL-CP and WHLS-CP, respectively (p<0.05).The high crude protein digestibility and low nitrogen retained for WHL might be due to anti-nutritional factors in the leaf, which make protein unavailable to the animal.The high nitrogen retained by WHL-CP and WHLS-CP resulted in improved nutrient digestibility.Conclusion: Water hyacinth supplementation improved digestibility and nitrogen retention.Inclusion of cassava peels, further improved nutrient digestibility and nitrogen retention compared with sole water hyacinth supplementation.