1987 Volume 4 Pages 145-150
This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of environmental factors on mineral status of grazing cattle in Paraguay of South America. Intake levels of P, Na, Zn, and Cu from grass of natural grassland at 2 farms in East Paraguay may be severely deficient for grazing cattle throughout the year, since those concentrations in grass were very low and they were not significantly different between dry and wet seasons. Also, there was mineral unbalance by excesses of Fe and Mn in grass. Low concentrations of P, Na, K, Zn, and Cu in grass of natural grassland in East Paraguay may be mainly due to low concentrations of those in soil. Mineral content and mineral balance in grass at West Paraguay was almost adequate, but there may be borderline Cu deficiency of grazing cattle. Grass of artificial pasture contained these minerals at high levels in comparison with that of natural grassland. It is suggested that there are borderline mineral deficiencies of grazing cattle in Paraguay and borderline deficiencies of P and Cu are severe problems for grazing cattle.
