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Forages Nutsedge plant

Catayn

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Well, here I am after a long time.
What happens is:
My granny "plants" nutsedge plants because her dogs like to eat it. and i was on her farm and the piggies were having some floor time outside and tey found some nutsedge plants and they just so absolutely loved it.
Much more then any of the hay I give them.
Is it ok for them to eat it?
I don't know if the name is correct, but this is the plant I refer to:
https://pipocadeamaranto.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/chufa-a-nossa-tiririca.jpg
 

Cogni

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This looks like either purple nutsedge or yellow nutsedge. Purple nutsedge has brown flowers and we are always trying to get it out of our lawn in NZ because it takes over the sunny areas and kills the grass.
I think yours is yellow nutsedge though, because the title of your picture has chufa in it. If so it is cyperus esculentus which has nut-like tubers that they use in the south of Spain to make horchata, a nice-tasting drink.
In any case it is a sedge, not a grass. I am also interested to know if piggies can eat sedges because if we take them to a place where we have them as a lawn weed, like we have, and want to let them forage on the lawn, they will find it.
Warn your grandmother that if she plants this stuff, she will never get rid of it! It will spread all over the garden, by its underground tubers, whereever it is most sunny.
 

Catayn

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Well, she knows she'll never get rid of it. She has tried ;)
She lets them grow in a backyard part of the main house, surrounded by cement walls.
But, can they eat it?
 

Ly&Pigs

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It's not on the poisonous plants list.

But, do not ever let your pigs eat things if you don't know whether they are safe or not. Always, always check beforehand.

Safety, should be the top concern with any animal. Safety, isn't just about the cage, it's about their total environment to include anything they eat.
 

Catayn

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Yes, I know, I know... I felt so bad... I really didn't see they could reach some around the pen. I didn't even see it there... I am usually so careful about those things...
But, if they are not poisonous, it means they can have it? Not tons of it, but a little to brighten their day?
 

Cogni

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Well it sounds as though your guinea pigs are now the 'guinea pigs' to test whether nutsedge will make piggies ill. Monitor them and see how they do after their feeding frenzy.
Mine had a similar frenzy with bean leaves (from some variety of string bean) from a Chinese grocery that I gave them stupidly when I first got my piggies. They lived, and I still give them a few when I have some to cook.
I don't know how to investigate nutsedge further for edibility. I have seen various forage pages on the web but they seem to be mainly about forages for deer, cattle, goats, or sheep, and piggies are probably quite different inside.
 

Catayn

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Vet said it was ok for the piggies and for the rabbits. ^^
The rabits didn't actually like it, but piggies are loving it. They seem healthy and happy!
 
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