Abstract
This research was conducted to determine the effects of phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) content in pasture with body weight and body condition scores in cattle depending entirely on natural grazing. The work was done in 2006 in Mogosane Village of North-West Province, South Africa, and it was conducted from March 2006 to March 2007, with the annual rainfall of 384.38 mm maximum. A total of 25 growing mixed breed cattle aged between 6 months and 2 years old were selected randomly from a herd feeding exclusively on communal grazing. Animals were depending on natural pasture, with no supplements given. Records of body mass (BM) and body condition score (BCS) were recorded from a diverse range of animals in order to include as many different body masses and body condition scores as possible. Mean BM and BCS values are reported but there were no significant (P > 0.05) differences between months. Possible reasons are given in the “Results and Discussion” section. The focus of the research reported here was on the changes in the P, Ca, and Mg concentrations of pasture. Pasture samples were collected once a month for analysis to determine the contents of P, Ca, and Mg. Mineral concentrations in the pasture increased significantly (P < 0.05) with rainfall in January 2007, February 2007, and March 2007, and in January 2007 and February 2007, the mean values of BCS (3.90) and BM (444.05 kg) increased. After the good rains in March 2006 and April 2006, there were significant (P < 0.05) decreases in grass P and Mg in the following dry months along with decreases in BCS and BM. There were subsequent significant (P < 0.05) increases in grass P and Mg following rains in August 2006 through January 2007. Grass Ca followed a much different pattern compared with that of P and Mg with significant (P < 0.05) increases after periods of little or no rainfall. Mineral concentrations (P, Ca, and Mg) of grass in this research were significantly (P < 0.05) influenced by the rainfall making it imperative that mineral supplementation be given to animals in the dry periods.
Highlights
Mineral concentrations (P, Ca, and Mg) of grass in this research were significantly (P < 0.05) influenced by the rainfall making it imperative that mineral supplementation be given to animals in the dry periods
Livestock in arid areas of Africa utilize crop residues which have low nutritive value, and natural pasture which depends on fluctuating rainfall (Alshafei et al 2016)
Forage analysis is a potential indicator of mineral status for ruminants as compared with that of soil (Khan et al 2009)
Summary
Livestock in arid areas of Africa utilize crop residues which have low nutritive value, and natural pasture which depends on fluctuating rainfall (Alshafei et al 2016). The performance and health of grazing ruminants are dependent on the adequacy and availability of essential mineral elements from pastures and soil (Islam et al 2003), and according to Gao et al (2016), herbage minerals affect the performance of. Mineral deficiencies may affect the production of grazing livestock at pasture in most of the regions of the world, which include those of the major elements Ca, P, Mg, Na, and S, and the trace elements Co, Cu, I, Mn, Se, and Zn (Goswami et al 2005) and can compromise cattle health and, the income to the farmers (Dermauw et al 2013). Forage analysis is a potential indicator of mineral status for ruminants as compared with that of soil (Khan et al 2009)
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