The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: oink on July 06, 2010, 04:27:20 pm
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I've just harvested my early potatoes and was wondering if I can give the plants (stems, leaves etc) to the pig. I know that green potatoes can be poisonous and I have a vague recollection of hearing that the stems can also be poisonous so I thought I'd see if anybody else knows.
Cheers guys
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No Dont.
Thanks
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very short answer ???
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Sorry, Yes it was a short answer - I will rephrase:
No Don't do it ;D
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Personally I wouldnt even feed raw potatoes. One of my customers lost a really lovely sow because she choked on one.
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Bloody hell, as no one really gave a reason I did some research and apparently they can kill you!
Admittedly its only from WikiAnswers but it does seem right;
"Yes, they are poisonous. Potato leaves, flowers, sprouts and green or "sun-scalded" potatoes contain a glycoalkaloid that is a natural defense mechanism to protect the plant from predators. I believe the name of the glycoalkaloid is solanine, and is also found in the leaves of tomatoes. I do not advise this, but you can leave a potato in the sunlight for some days until it turns green. Then cook and eat it. You probably won't die, but the headache you'll get might make you wish you had. Solanine toxic effects tarket the gastrointestinal, liver, heart. Eating potato leaves can, in fact, kill you. "
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Hi
We don't feed potato tops, sugar beet tops or parsnip tops to any of our pigs as although not life threateningly poisonous they will as i understand make them exceedingly poorly.
We only feed raw potatos shredded up to our older stock never fatteners ( their digestive system can't cope) and we never give parsnips to pregnant pigs, think i read this in Andy Case's book as too much can cause miscarriage. In fact he has a good list of 'wild' food do's and don't in his book.
HTH
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Hence:
No Don't do it
;D
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thats better ;D