Ileal and total tract apparent crude protein and amino acid digestibility of ensiled and dried cassava leaves and sweet potato vines in growing pigs

The present study was conducted to determine the ileal and total tract apparent digestibility of crude protein (CP) and amino acids (AA) in ensiled and dried cassava (Manihot esculenta) leaves (CL) and sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) vines (SPV) as a single ingredient or in a 50:50 mixture of CL + SPV in growing (>60 kg BW) pigs. Coefficients of ileal (CIAD) and total tract (CTTAD) apparent digestibilities of organic matter (OM), CP, AA, crude fibre (CF) and neutral detergent fibre (aNDFom) were determined in growing pigs fed practical diets. The CP in the diets originated mainly from ensiled and dried CL, SPV or CL + SPV with the main energy source originating from ensiled cassava root which provided less than 9% of the dietary CP. The six diets were formulated to contain 120 g CP/kg DM, 13 MJ ME/kg DM and were fed to 60 kg growing pigs in a 6 × 6 Latin square design. Daily intake of OM, CF, aNDFom and ME differed (P