Fifteen young cross-bred Sindhi cattle (Red Sindhi x "Yellow" breed) were used to develop response curves relating growth rate and feed conversion with protein from cassava leaf meal (CLM), on a basal diet of rice straw sprayed with a mixture of urea/molasses (10% urea) (to provide 1 kg urea per 100 kg straw). A small quantity of local grasses was also supplied at 1% of body weight (in fresh matter). The levels of CLM were 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1% of live weight (in DM). Observed intakes of the CLM on the supplementary treatments were 0.25, 0.48, 0.65 and 0.64% of live weight, equivalent to 92, 79, 62 and 56% of the amounts offered. DM intake, live weight gain and feed conversion were improved with significant linear trends according to the level of supplementation with CLM crude protein. It is concluded that CLM can be used as a major source of by-pass protein in cattle rations based on urea-supplemented rice straw to improve growth performance and feed conversion.
