Adigestibility assay was carried out to evaluate the nutritional value of hay from the upper third of cassava foliage, variety "Mantiqueira" (Manihot esculenta, Crantz) in sixteen rabbits of New Zeland White breed, eight males and eight females, with 50 days of age. A completely randomized design, with two treatments and eight replicates for treatment, was used. In the test diet, cassava foliage hay replaced 30% DM of the reference diet, containing 19.30% of crude protein, 12.86% of crude fiber and 4558 kcal/kg of gross energy. The coefficients of apparent digestibility of the dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, crude fiber (%FDN) and gross energy of hay made from the upper third of cassava foliage were: 41.29, 41.95, 43.72, 33.77, and 36.63% respectively. The contents of digestible dry matter, digestible organic matter, digestible protein, digestible crude fiber FDN and digestible energy, for hay made from the upper third of cassava foliage were 35.58, 37.93, 7.69, 8.85%, and 1639 kcal/kg, respectively.
rabbits; digestibility; cassava hay; Manihot esculenta
