Back to Contents

FREE FULL TEXT PDF

PASTURE CONCENTRATION OF MINERALS IN RELATION TO THE NUTRIENT REQUIREMENTS OF FARM LIVESTOCK

ZAFAR IQBAL KHAN^1*, MUHAMMAD ASHRAF², EHSAN ELAHI VALEEM³ KAFEEL AHMAD¹ AND MUHAMMAD DANISH⁴

Abstract: Mineral composition (Ca, Na, Cu, and Zn) of different forages and soils in five agricultural local pastures in the Punjab, Pakistan were studied. They were designated as pastures, feeding sites and situated at a distance of 5 km, exhibiting varied vegetation. Grazing animals were followed, and forages corresponding to those consumed by them, and the corresponding soil samples were collected during the winter and summer seasons and analyzed for mineral composition. Most forage samples as well as their corresponding soil samples were not sufficient for most minerals. Some low levels in soil Zn were found in two pastures during summer and winter seasons. Winter season soil Ca and Cu concentrations were significantly higher (p<0.05) than summer season; perhaps owing to leaching in all five pastures in summer. Most forage samples had very marginal mineral concentrations, below the critical levels known to be adequate for normal ruminant requirements. Forage levels of Ca, Na, Cu, and Zn were found to be significantly increased (p<0.05), generally, with plant maturity from summer to winter. Grazing ruminants in the pastures might possibly be deficient in most minerals and these grazing pastures are not providing adequate levels of the minerals to the livestock grazing therein.  Supplementation is the urgent need for grazing livestock to prevent deficiency diseases due to mineral imbalances.

¹Department of Biological Sciences, University of Sargodha, Pakistan

²Department of Botany, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan

³Department of Botany, Govt. Degree Sci.  & Com. College Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Block VII, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi-75300, Pakistan

⁴Department of Chemistry, University of Sargodha, Pakistan.

^*E-mail: drzafar10@hotmail.com