Chicory contains a variety of nutrients needed by livestock and poultry, crude protein content in the first year of growth in the rosette period of 22.87%, the second beginning of the flowering period of 14.73%. Plants in the rosette leaf clusters in the long term, due to the leaves as the main body, soft tissue, light area, crude protein, crude fat, crude ash, calcium, phosphorus and a variety of amino acids, etc. are rich in content, significantly higher than the content of pumping stems in the flowering period, while the content of crude fiber is lower. According to New Zealand research, chicory nitrogen and iron content is lower than red clover and ryegrass, while the content of potassium, sodium, zinc and copper is higher than ryegrass and red clover), and the content of other mineral nutrients is comparable to ryegrass and red clover. After feeding test and observation, cattle, sheep, pigs, exempt, chickens and other livestock and poultry are very happy to eat, its palatability and utilization rate is obviously excellent rosette leaf rosette grass and polymer grass. In the rosette leaf clusters in the long term is most suitable for direct feeding pigs, rabbits, chickens, ducks, geese, etc., the pumping period is suitable for mowing or direct grazing cattle, sheep, can also be mowed silage as a good winter and spring feed for dairy cattle. Due to the high moisture content of chicory, it is difficult to make hay.

Chemical composition and essential amino acid content of chicory (%)