Is it possible and how to properly give raw potatoes to goats, the benefits of the product
Domestic goats are unpretentious animals. They thrive on a wide variety of feeds, both dry and juicy. However, many experienced owners of these animals have a negative attitude towards feeding raw potato tubers to their pets and prefer dry and green food. Beginning goat breeders can not always decide whether it is possible to give raw potatoes to domestic goats, in what quantity and what are the benefits of tubers.
Product benefits
Potato tubers are good for goats primarily for their nutritional value. 100 g contains:
- proteins - 2.2 g;
- fat - 0.1 g;
- carbohydrates - 15 g;
- dietary fiber - 2 g;
- water - 79 g;
- calorie content - 77 kcal.
Raw potatoes contain a lot of dietary fiber, fiber, starch. These substances are needed for the development of beneficial microflora in the section of the stomach, which is called the scar. It is in it that the fermentation of the eaten food occurs.
This product is a source of vitamins important for goats:
- AND;
- group B;
- FROM;
- E.
The listed vitamins regulate metabolism and digestion, have a positive effect on the work of internal organs. They are needed for the reproductive function of goats.
There are salts in potato tubers of the following elements necessary for proper metabolism:
- potassium;
- calcium;
- sulfur;
- phosphorus;
- manganese;
- zinc.
As part of 100 g of raw potatoes, up to 10-18 g of starch are present. It breaks down very quickly to simple sugars, which has a positive effect on the quantity and quality of milk. The content of water, vitamins, mineral salts, carbohydrates in raw potato tubers makes them healthy food for lactating goats. In its raw form, the vegetable is an excellent milk feed.
It is especially useful to feed the tubers raw in the autumn-winter period after the end of the grazing season. Nevertheless, despite the benefits, you should not overfeed a domestic goat with raw and boiled potatoes. This can make her obese and lead to hormonal disruptions. There is an opinion among goat breeders that starch from potatoes can clog the milk ducts. This is nothing more than a myth. In this regard, the product is absolutely harmless.
Important! In order not to feed the offspring, raw potatoes need to be removed from the diet of female suckers, especially during the launch period.
Rules for choosing raw potatoes for goats
Choose healthy tubers for feeding your goats. They should not show signs of rot and mechanical damage. If during harvesting, violations of storage rules, or in the second half of winter, the peel on the potatoes turned green, then in this case you need to remember that this is a sure sign of the accumulation of a poisonous compound, solanine.
Potatoes, like all plants of the Solanaceae family, produce a poisonous alkaloid solanine to protect against pests.Entering the body in large quantities, this substance leads to disruption of vital processes and even the death of the pet. There is especially a lot of solanine in the ground green parts of the plant, tops and fruits - berries that appear in place of flowers. However, in tubers, solanine is contained in minimal and non-hazardous quantities for animals and humans. If you follow a few simple rules when feeding goats with fresh tubers, then this product will not harm them.
How to give potatoes correctly
To feed domestic goats with potatoes, you need to properly prepare the tubers. In the first 4-5 months after harvesting, when stored properly, the potatoes do not turn green and do not sprout. Before feeding the goats, the tubers must be thoroughly washed. If there are damaged areas, signs of rot, then they are carefully cut with a knife to healthy areas.
By the end of winter or spring, the tubers begin to sprout. Before feeding them to animals, all sprouts are carefully broken off, since they contain an increased amount of solanine. If the potatoes turn green, then the peel must be removed, cutting it off with a thick layer to a light pulp for the same reason (a large amount of solanine).
If you put raw tubers whole goat, then, most likely, they are unlikely to be of interest to her, or the animal may choke on them. They must be cut immediately before feeding. Usually, it is enough to cut small potatoes into two halves, and large ones into 4-6 parts. If the farm has 1-2 heads, then the potatoes can be cut into large blocks 10-15 mm thick or into cubes. Some animals gladly eat potatoes sprinkled with salt and mixed feed.
This process will not take much time, because 3-4 medium-sized tubers per day are enough for one head. It is impossible to chop potatoes for future use, for more than one feeding. It darkens, loses its juiciness and nutritional value. While raw potatoes are healthy, they are not the main food for domestic goats. Even if tubers are present in the daily menu of animals, hay and branches from trees should always be freely available in their feeder.
