The objective of this trial was to evaluate the effect of different forms of processing of cassava peel in sheep feeding on performance traits, carcass, morphology and rumen and economic technical feasibility. Twenty non-castrated male Santa Ines lambs of 19.02±0.21 kg of initial body weight and 90 days of age at the beginning of the study were used in this trial. The design was completely randomized design with five replications per treatment. During the experimental period of 84 days, including 14 days of adaptation, animals were kept in semi-confinement on Brachiaria decumbens. Four forms of cassava peel processing were evaluated: dried cassava peel ground through 12-mm sieve; dried cassava peel ground through 5-mm sieve; ground and ensiled cassava peel, and wet, ground hydrolyzed with 0.5% lime (calcium oxide - CaO). The average weight at slaughter was 30.72±1.46 kg. There was no influence of the type of processing on the performance variables analyzed, quantitative carcass characteristics or ruminal morphology; only the values of width and leg yield palette were influenced. Hydrolyzed cassava peel showed the best economic efficiency between treatments. The different methods of processing cassava peel do not affect performance, carcass characteristics, yield cuts or rumen morphology of Santa Ines sheep.
alternative food; cost index; livestock
