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95. During cassava processing a lot of cassava peels become available. These may be used for feeding animals.
Cassava peels
96. When you process 100 kg of cassava roots, 10-15 kg of cassava peel becomes available as a by-product.
97. Cassava peel looks fibrous. You must know that it can supply many nutrients.
98. If you take 100 kg of cassava peel, it will contain about:
- 6 kg of protein;
- 4 kg of fat;
- 6 kg of minerals.
99. You must limit the amount of cassava peel fed to pigs and chickens because it also has a lot of fibre.
100. Fresh cassava peels have high levels of cyanide - much higher than the level present in the flesh of the roots.
101. Fortunately, you can reduce the cyanide in the peels by simply drying in the sun.
Drying peels
102. For ruminant animals, peels are good energy feeds. They can be safely used.
103. You can also use the peels to feed pigs and chickens, but you must combine them with other feeds. Do not use more than 2 kg cassava-peel meal in a 10- kg ration.
104. You can also make a peel silage. You can make a silage using cassava peels, in the same way that cassava root silage is made.
105. You can use a small silo such as an oil drum. Line the oil drum with polyethelene sheets. Make holes at the bottom to drain the liquid coming out of the silage. Keep the drums on stones or on a concrete floor for easy drainage.
Small silo
106. You must first wilt the peels in the sun for a day to reduce the water content. Then pack the wilted peels in the drum and press them tight.
107. You must then cover the top of the drum. You can use banana leaves, grass or polyethelene sheets to cover. Then put some stones on the top.
108. Cassava peel silage will be ready in four weeks. It can be used for feeding of ruminants and pigs. Cyanide levels are far lower in the peel silage.
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