[Production of cassava whole meal (N. esculenta Crantz) to prepare a feed for growing chicks. I. Chemical and nutritive characterization of leaves, roots and cassava whole meal].

Cassava roots are frequently used as a energy source in feeds. The leaves due to their high fiber content, are not used in animal feeds despite they have a good content of protein and a balanced level of essential amino acids. The purpose of this research was to produce a cassava whole meal (CWF) with low content of fiber for using in chick feed. Leaves and roots of cassava by separated, were dried at 60 degrees C for 20 h, ground in a hammermill and passed through a 60 mesh sieve. By this procedure a root flour (CRF) and a leaves flour were obtained (CLF). The fiber content in CLF was reduced 25.8% and the protein content was increased 8.2%. The CWF was made with 61.2% of CRF and 38.8% of CLF, having a protein and fiber content of 9.15% and 9.73%, respectively. The True Metabolizable Energy of CWF was 2,454 kcal/kg with an average true bioavailability of amino acids of 68.8%.