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THE FUTURE MANAGEMENT OF GRAZING AND WILD LANDS IN A HIGH-TECH WORLD
Trace Minerals Profile of Forbs and Grasses at Flowering Stage in
Rangelands of North Kordofan, Sudan
Sahar Ezzat*, Babo Fadlalla and Hala Ahmed
College of Forestry and Range Sciences, Sudan University of Science and Technology, Soba, Khartoum,
Sudan, www.sustech,
*Corresponding author email: [email protected]
Key words: trace-mineral, flowering stage, forbs, grasses
Introduction
Trace elements are essential parts of many physiological processes such as energy production, enzyme activity,
hormone production, collagen formation, vitamin and tissue synthesis, oxygen transport and other
physiological processes related to health, growth and reproduction. Their deficiency causes a variety of
pathological consequences such as cardiac conditions in addition to immunological and hormonal functions
and metabolic defects (Suttle, 2010). Reports on clinical Zn deficiency in cattle under field conditions in Sudan
are relatively rare. The concentration of Cu was found to be low in sera and tissues of various Sudanese
animals raised under the nomadic system. The effect of dietary supplementation during different physiological
states on serum concentrations of Cu and Zn were investigated by Abo Damir et al., (1988).
Voluntary intake and mineral concentrations of base feedstuffs determine the level of mineral
consumption. Adequate intake of forages by grazing animals is essential in meeting mineral requirements.
The concentration of minerals in plants is dependent upon interactions among many factors including soil
type, plant species, stage of maturity, dry matter yield, grazing management and climate (Farhad,
2012).The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the type of plant on the concentration of
some trace minerals during flowering stage of growth at Sheikan Locality, North Kordofan State, Sudan
Methods
Grasses and forbs were sampled at the flowering stage (rainy season) of 2010 and 2011. A total of 27 plant
species (20 forbs,7 grasses) in the flowering stage were collected from the rangelands. Plants’ shoots (leaves
and stems) were picked so as to simulate the diet selected by sheep and ICP was used to determine minerals.
Results and Discussion
Tables 1 and 2 illustrate the concentrations of some trace elements in forbs and grasses at the flowering stage.
Levels of trace elements varied among the two plant groups. Younger leaves and leaflets contain higher levels of
minerals than older mature leaves, twigs and stem parts. These levels of micro minerals are adequate to meet the
NRC (1985) requirements of sheep for Co (0.10-0.20 ppm), Cu (7-11 ppm), Fe (30-50 ppm) and Zn (30-33
ppm).Variations in the contents of Fe among forages could be partly explained by forage species’ differences and
the level of Fe in the soil. Fe level in this study ranges between 200-2000 mg/kg which agrees with Farhad, (2012)
who stated that all the grazing pasture forages had higher levels of Fe than the critical content of Fe in animal tissues
(30 - 50 mg/kg DM).Content of Zn (22-60 mg/kg in legumes and 23-67 mg/kg in grasses) in these forages is within
recommended level for sheep. However, efficiency of Zn utilization of these forages would depend on zinc
bioavailability, and its interaction with other mineral elements. Variations in the concentrations of minerals among
forages in this study agreed with Hajer et al., (2014) who attributed variations in the concentrations to genotypic
differences, efficiency of mineral uptake and retention and stage of foliage maturity. Younger leaves and leaflets
contain higher levels of minerals than mature leaves, twigs and stem parts. In spite of
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STATE OF GLOBAL AND CANADIAN RANGELAND AND PASTURE RESOURCES
selective grazing the species composition of the pasture is still important e.g. Dactyloctenium aegyptium
has a marginal Cu concentration.
Table 1. Trace elements content of forbs (mg/kg).
Scientific name
Colocynthiscitrullus
Seddera spp.
Polygala eriotera
Crotalaria spp.
Schoenefoldiagracilis
Requeniaobcordata
Justiciakotschyi
Sesbaniasesban
Belpharislinarifolia
Ipomoea sp.
Tephrosia spp.
Tribulusterrestris
Corchorusoiltorius
Indigoferaaspera
Acanthus spp.
Indigofera spp.
Solanum dobium
Dicomatomentosa
Farsetialongisclizua
Ipomoea belpharosepala
Cu
Fe
Co
Zn
Ni
10.97
10.11
11.46
11.01
9.58
10.29
8.10
10.77
11.94
13.63
10.60
10.29
11.48
8.92
10.23
8.21
18.41
11.12
6.70
13.53
270
249
1041
755
2522
641
1080
231
1094
1776
2452
1738
1801
534
2616
466
1114
278
412
1937
0.904
0.223
0.575
0.372
1.322
0.350
0.807
0.387
0.491
0.926
1.251
0.999
1.160
0.312
1.301
0.536
0.612
0.265
0.426
1.155
50.53
29.37
27.98
27.85
30.85
22.64
40.41
36.26
35.54
38.37
27.38
26.77
34.35
22.55
34.59
25.14
60.22
38.95
23.82
37.04
1.145
1.261
2.089
1.433
4.031
1.404
2.155
2.183
1.533
2.881
3.705
3.191
3.032
1.001
3.708
1.102
2.112
1.381
0.961
3.437
Co
Zn
Ni
0.985
0.529
0.664
0.682
1.274
2.272
0.579
44.71
67.08
32.89
42.26
32.25
23.26
33.93
2.812
2.418
2.726
1.816
4.582
6.568
2.035
Table 2. Trace elements content of grasses (mg/kg).
Scientific name
Cu
Fe
Echinocloacolonum
Eragrostistremula
Cenchrusbiflorus
Chloris virgate
Dactyloctenium aegyptium
Cyprus spp.
Aristidamutablis
12.70
10.24
7.79
8.85
6.65
10.00
9.55
1562
1030
1318
579
2684
4813
1124
Conclusion
Trace mineral concentrations appear adequate for sheep. However, data of this type provide only an indication
of the existence of potential mineral deficiency problems, since animal selectivity usually results in the
consumption of material of somewhat higher quality than that of the total available, and conclusive diagnosis
of deficiencies must be based on a positive response to supplementary supply of the mineral in question. Also
levels of trace mineral in sheep’s blood may be better indicator of nutrient deficiencies in the diet. Nonetheless,
such data are vital in the formulation of critical supplementation experiments.
References
Abo Damir, H., M. E. S. Barri, S. M. El Hassan, M. H. Eageld. 1988. In, A. A. Wahbi and O. F. Idris, Clinical zinc
and copper deficiencies in cattle of Western Sudan. Trop. Anim. Hlth. Prod., 20: 52-56.
Farhad M.2012. Minerals profile of forages for grazing ruminants in Pakistan. Open Journal of Animal Sciences,
2(3): 133-141. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ojas.2012.23019.
© 2016 Proceedings of the 10th International Rangeland Congress
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THE FUTURE MANAGEMENT OF GRAZING AND WILD LANDS IN A HIGH-TECH WORLD
Hajer, I.I., Ishraga, G.I., Shamat, A.M., Aisha, A. and Eisa, S.H. 2014. Mineral Profile of Sheep and Goats Grazed
Natural Pasture in Nyala Locality, Western Sudan. Journal of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, 15(1).
NRC (National Research Council). 1985. Nutrient Requirements of Sheep. 6 th ed. National Academy Press,
Washington, D.C.
Suttle, N.F. 2010. TheMineralNutrition of Livestock, CABI Publishing, London, UK, 4th edition.
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