Cassava Root Meal for Poultry

This paper reviews the characteristics of cassava root meal and the problems and considerations involved when using it in poultry diets. A high starch content and a low percentage of protein and amino acids are cassava's main nutritional traits. However, when cassava root meal is used in poultry diets, other factors should be taken into consideration, including cyanogenic content, high level of potassium and silica, lack of carotenoids, and dustiness. Cassava's normal rate of inclusion in poultry diets in the European Union is about 25%. The inclusion of cassava root meal in poultry feeds will depend on the price and availability of energy and protein sources, synthetic amino acids, and pigments.