Daucus carota

Carrot, cultivated carrot

Useful reference: 503

Annual or biennial herb of European origin with a thick orange or yellow root that has long been used as food. Some varieties can be grown at all altitudes in the tropics. Longer maturing, longer rooted varieties are best suited to high altitudes, while those with quick-maturing smaller roots do best at lower altitudes. Carrots have a high vitamin A activity, which makes them valuable when hay and straw are the only other feeds. Cattle may be fed up to 20 kg a day when available, whereas pigs can utilize up to 1.5 kg a day. Whole raw carrots are sometimes used to feed sick horses when they refuse other feeds. Carrots may also be dried and ground to a meal for inclusion in compound supplements.

					As % of dry matter
				DM	CP	CF	Ash	EE	NFE	Ca	P	Ref
Fresh aerial part				16.4	12.1	16.7	18.2	2.3	50.7			484
Fresh tuber				13.4	12.7	10.4	8.2	1.5	67.2			"
							Digestibility (%)
					Animal		CP	CF	EE	NFE	ME	Ref
Aerial part					Sheep		62.0	75.0	81.0	82.0	2.43	484
Tubers					Sheep		77.0	82.0	93.0	95.0	3.15	"
		Amino acid composition as % of crude protein
Tuber											Ref	127
Arg	Cys	Gly	His	Ils	Leu	Lys	Met	Phe	Thr	Try	Tyr	Val
3.2	0.7	3.1	1.7	3.5	5.2	3.2	1.2	3.1	3.2	1.9	2.6	4.6