An investigation into the mineral status, especially phosphorus, of cattle not offered licks, feeding exclusively in the communal grazing areas of Mogosane village, Molopo district, North West Province

[摘要] Twenty-five animals that were randomly selected on the basis of sex andage from among the animals feeding exclusively on communal grazing inMogosane village and were used to investigate the mineral (P, Ca andMg) status, especially P, based on blood and faecal P and to estimate thequantity of P they consumed from the pasture they were grazing. Theproject was conducted in the same area each month for one year, and nosupplement was given.Months were blocks and seasonal changes were factors and the animalswere experimental units within a block. Faecal, blood and grass sampleswere used as indicators of P, Ca and Mg minerals within experimentalunits, and Analysis of Variance was done to determine whether the Pstatus of native pastures had a significant effect on the total P, Ca and Mgutilization and movement in and out of the blood and throughout thefaeces during different periods the year. Body mass, condition scores andrainfall were also recorded during this trial.When the mineral status was investigated in this trial, it was found thatmineral content in blood and faeces was directly related to the minerals inthe pasture since these indicators were curvilinear increasing from wintermonths to spring months peaking in summer months with highly (P<0.05) significant values when grazing was best and declining as thegrazing became worse during autumn and winter months. The values ofthe body condition of the animals increased and declined with the valuesof body mass. Blood P concentration was very inconsistent and varied greatly and did not follow the same increasing and decreasing pattern followed by faeces and the grass. This emphasizes the fact that the Pcontent of blood is not always good indicator of the P status in theanimal.The mean faecal P concentration during winter was lower with the valueof 1.23 ± 0.13 mg/g, during spring was low with the value of 1.8 ± 0.06mg/g, during summer was higher with the value of 3.22 ± 0.12 mg/g andduring autumn was high with the value of 1.98 ± 1.04 mg/g.The mean concentration of P in the grass during winter was lower withthe value of 0.92 ± 0.04 mg/g, during spring was low with the value of1.16 ± 0.08 mg/g, during summer was higher with the value of 1.68 ±0.06 mg/g and during autumn was high with the value of 1.22 ± 0.09mg/g. The seasonal rainfall correlated with the faecal and grass P values varymuch with the value of 0 mm in the winter season, with the value of26.33 mm in the spring, the value of 90.4 mm during summer and thevalue of 44.83 mm during autumn.Condition scores and body masses had the values of 2.08 units/201.4 Kgduring winter season, had the values of 3.07 units/272.29 Kg in springseason, had the values of 3.88 units/371 Kg during summer season andthe values of2.75 units/286.65 during autumn season, respectively.

[发布机构] North-West University