Freezing Feed???

[Checkered_Giant:)]

Howdy!
I have a quick little question here. What is your guys' opinion on freezing rabbit feed to preserve it? I've read so many opinions on the internet that it keeps it lasting for a long time, or that it depletes the nutritional value. I bought a 50 lb. bag of feed that my 10 lb. buck goes through in about 4 months, to save money. Any scientifically correct answers? Thanks!!!!

 

[Miss M]

We freeze the feed we get for our Lionhead. He's the only one who uses it, and it comes in 50 pound bags. We divide it up into gallon-size freezer bags and stick it in the freezer. He uses it in about 9 months.

I'm not sure how freezing it would deplete the nutritional value. There are a few sorts of things that are more hurt by freezing than helped, and a few that are ruined. But it's usually because of water freezing and bursting cell walls, or water freezing and separating components, that sort of thing. Rabbit feed is a dried product, and would not have those issues.

If you put it into a frost-free freezer, such as normally comes on a refrigerator, it would not last as long as it would in a chest freezer, which is where we keep ours.

 

[Dood]

Vitamin C and some B vitamins are damaged by freezing but not enough to cause a deficiency in rabbits who get PLENTY of vitamins in their herbivorous diet :cheesysmile:

I would defrost as needed and not large quantities as condensation can initiate mold growth on the pellets that you may not notice

 

[ottersatin]

Within three months Rabbit feed loses it's nutritional value/quality.
freezing buys you a little time and is more helpful than not
if you are purchasing a 50 pound bag for just one Rabbit.
I would opt for freezing!
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[Checkered_Giant:)]

Will do, and sounds good! Thanks for your guys' help!!!!