Evaluation of chemical composition and nutritive potential of oil palm slurry fermented with cassava peel as feed for livestock

Cassava peels (CaP) and oil palm slurry (OPS) are agro-industrial by-products obtainable throughout the year. Utilization of CaP as feed can be enhanced through fermentation with OPS. The use of CaP fermented with OPS as feed for livestock was therefore investigated with three experiments. The nutrient composition of OPS collected from different locations was determined. Parameters varied significantly with Mamu samples recording the highest values of dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) (43.20 and 8.15 g/100 g DM) respectively. The chemical composition of fermented (CPF) and unfermented (CPU) cassava peel was assessed. Result revealed no significant variations with CPU recording the highest value of DM (73.63 g/100 g DM) while CPF recorded the highest (6.50 g/100 g DM) value of CP. The chemical composition of cassava peel fermented with a constant amount of OPS in the ratios, 1:1; 2:1; 3;1; 4;1; 5:1 and 6:1 of CaP and OPS, respectively was determined. The ratios vary significantly, with ratio 3:1 (CaP:OPS) recording the highest (14.15 g/100 g DM) value of CP and lowest (27 g/100 g DM) value of neutral detergent fiber (NDF). Conclusively fermentation improved the quality of the mixture by breaking down the fibre contents in each graded combination through microbial metabolic activities. The best result was obtained at the ratio 1:3 OPS to CaP.   Key words: Cassava peel, chemical composition, fermentation, oil palm slurry.