A genus of the Polygonaceae family.
- B. vulgaris — this species includes the large fodder roots. They provide a massive source of feed energy but they can cause poisoning if used unintelligently, e.g. (1) carbohydrate engorgement and lactic acidosis if too many are fed; (2) partly cooked mangels grown on high nitrate soils may cause primary nitrite poisoning; (3) the tops may contain toxic amounts of oxalate; (4) a sole diet of beet pulp is thought to cause a nutritional deficiency of vitamin A in cattle leading to blindness and encephalopathy. Called also fodder beet, sugar beet, mangels, mangolds, mangel-wurzel, beetroot.
