Nutritional value for common weeds and some not weeds

I've been doing research on weed nutrition and thought I would share some links that I have found interesting/useful. These are not rabbit specific but could be used to help better balance rabbit nutrition.

The Nutritive Value of Common Pasture Weeds and Their Relation to Livestock Nutrient Requirements
http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/418/418-150/418-150.html

This one is really interesting as it has values for weeds and some trees.

QUALITY OF NATIVE PLANT FORAGE SPECIES IMPORTANT TO WHITE-TAILED DEER AND GOATS IN SOUTH CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
https://www.noble.org/global/ag/wildlif ... ersion.pdf


Pasture weeds as mineral sources for goats
https://hoeggerfarmyard.com/pasture-wee ... for-goats/

Hope this helps someone. I'll add more as I find them. If anyone else has some good links with weed nutritional value please feel free to share.

I found a really really good one. This one lists the nutritional value of various common forage plants but also crop byproducts, and also some unusual plants. It also lists the nutritional requirements of rabbits and discusses how this can be met with crops, grain, or garden.

http://www.researchgate.net/publication ... bbit_units

__________ Fri Sep 11, 2015 7:41 pm __________

I've found a couple of articles on feeding sweet potatoes forages.

These are both from TAMUK.

This one deals with the feasibility of sweet potato forage.
http://users.tamuk.edu/kfsdl00/Meat%20R ... search.pdf

This one deals more with specifics. Including different varieties of sweet potato.
http://users.tamuk.edu/kfsdl00/Lukefahr-4RCA.pdf

Thanks for the links. We're trying to figure out ways to make it easier to gather forage for our rabbits--and to encourage the more nutritious weeds. Have noticed that the chicory grows most thickly along the road edges where the ground is disturbed by the snowplow. Same for ragweed. So we're going to try scraping an area close to the rabbits with tractor and box blade and scattering favored weed seeds on it, then, if they come up thickly, see if cutting them regularly will keep them growing.

I'm planning on gathering giant ragweed seeds this fall and growing a patch of it for the buns. I'm sure my son will appreciate it. Less for him to mow lol. My hubby may have a fit...

Along with the ragweed, I'm planning on a large pumpkin/squash patch and sweet potatoes. I'm already getting impatient for spring lol.

I still have a bunch of lablab seed I'm planting as well. I didn't get my patch started until July 3rd this year and we just didn't have the moisture for it to make. I have my fingers crossed!

My rabbits and guinea pigs both ate a ton of ragweed this year, some smaller common variety.. Both species found it to be especially palatable (preferred over most other foods) and easy to digest, even after flowering.