Cassava Diets and Performance of Rats over Two Reproductive Cycles

Abstract

Fresh and dried bitter (high HCN) cassava, dried sweet (low HCN) cassava and a commercial pellet diet were fed to rats during two life-cycles.

First litter birth weights of rats on fresh cassava diets were significantly (P<0.05) lower than on other diets. Performance of rats on sun dried cassava diets were probably more affected by the fungal growth on the sundried chips, rather than influence of its hydrocyanic acid content.

Histopathological examination of thyroid tissue revealed that thyroidal epithetial heights were significantly (P<0.05) lower in the second litter offspring of the fresh cassava group than in others. Alopecia was also observed in these rats.