Abstract
WAR conditions have established the merits of carrots as an ingredient of the human dietary: that they are no less excellent as a food for farm animals, is shown in a recent article by Mr.H.E. Woodman, of the School of Agriculture, Cambridge (J. Min, Agric, 48, No. 3, 185; 1941). Indeed, all kinds of stock are fond of carrots, and although their importance in animal feeding is overshadowed by that of the other root crops-swedes, mangolds and turnips this is not due to any inferiority in feeding quality, but rather to price considerations and to the fact that when the human requirements in Great Britain have been met, the supply of carrots left over for animals has usually been quite small. This year it seems there will be a large surplus. On the basis of starch equivalents, 80 lb. of carrots should be able, on an average, to replace 100 lb. of mangolds, or 90 lb. of swedes. With the more watery turnips, however, two parts by weight may be replaced by one part of carrots. Carrots are not so rich as swedes in vitamin C, the anti-scurvy factor, but are distinguished from all other roots by their high content of carotene. Since this yellow pigment is convertible into vitamin A in the body of the animal, it follows that carrots are a good source of this important health factor.
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Carrots for Domestic Animals. Nature 149, 190 (1942). https://doi.org/10.1038/149190a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/149190a0