Utilisation of cassava as energy and protein feed resource in broiler chicken and laying hen diets

A detailed understanding of the nutrient contents of cassava products is crucial to fully maximise their utilisation in animal feed. This study aimed to review published data on the nutritional quality of cassava products and their use as a source of energy and protein in broiler chicken and laying hen diets. Cassava is a tuber crop that grows abundantly in tropical countries, and its products are classified as energy or protein feed resources based on their protein and energy levels. Cassava starch residue (CSR), cassava root meal (CRM), cassava peel meal (CPM), ensiled cassava peel meal (ECPM), fermented cassava peel meal (FCPM), cassava pulp, and cassava root sievate meal (CRSM) were classified as an energy source in chicken feed, whereas cassava leaf meal (CLM) is classified as a protein source. Nutritional analysis indicates that cassava leaves are high in protein, fibre, minerals, vitamins (B1, B2, and C), and carotenoids, while CRM is rich in energy but low in crude protein (CP). Additionally, cassava contains cyanogenic glycosides, especially linamarin, and lotaustralin, which release toxic hydrogen cyanide (HCN) upon tissue disruption. The utilisation of cassava as an energy or protein feed resource in the chicken diet is limited by its high fibre, presence of HCN, nutrient imbalance, and dusty nature of its dried meals. Efforts have been made to enhance the nutrient quality of cassava and increase their utilisation in chicken feed using different processing techniques with some success. Available information on the nutrient contents of differently processed cassava and its effect on chicken performance is vast and dispersed, making it hard to use such information in the decision-making process. Therefore, this review aimed to aggregate published articles on the nutrient contents of cassava products and their impacts on the health and productive indices of broiler chickens and laying hens into a single document for ease of comparison and decision-making.