Prevention of Potato Poisoning

Potatoes are rich in soluble carbohydrates and have good digestibility for all kinds of livestock, and the nutrition of raw and cooked feeding is basically similar. However, the stems, leaves and tubers of potatoes all contain toxic substances, so feeding should be done with great caution.

Potatoes contain a lot of non-protein nitrogen, accounting for about half of the crude protein, among which there is a nitrogen-containing substance called solanine, which is a toxic substance. The content of this substance is highest in immature and sprouted tubers, generally most abundant on the green skin of the stems and in the bud eyes; the stems and leaves contain more nitrate, and after livestock consume them, it will cause gastroenteritis, leading to poisoning and death of livestock; after sows consume them, they will give birth to deformed piglets or stillborn fetuses.

To prevent potatoes from causing poisoning during the process of feeding livestock, potatoes should be stored in a dry, cool place without sunlight exposure, to prevent sprouting and turning green. If they have already sprouted and turned green, before feeding, care should be taken to remove the young sprouts and the green parts, dig out the area around the bud eyes, and then steam or boil them to reduce the toxicity; the residual water after steaming or boiling should be discarded. In addition, potatoes fed to livestock should be combined with other feed, controlled at about 25% of the daily ration; pregnant sows had best not be fed them. When normal potatoes are fed to livestock, it is best not to exceed 50%.

When the stems and leaves of potatoes are to be cooked over a fierce fire, it is best not to cover the pot during cooking, to prevent the formation of nitrite; they can also be mixed with other green feed for silage before being fed.