Evaluating the Nutritional Status of Beef Cattle Herds from Four Soil Order Regions of Florida. I. Macroelements, Protein, Carotene, Vitamins A and E, Hemoglobin and Hematocrit

Abstract

The nutrient status of grazing beef cattle from four selected soil order regions of Florida was examined. Liver, blood, hair and feces samples from 14 heifers and 14 cows, plus forage samples, were collected during two periods of the year from nine ranches located in four different regions. Soil samples were collected during one period. The soil order regions were the Histosol (southeast), Spodosol (southwest), Entisol (central) and Ultisol (northwest). Mean forage P values were higher (P less than .05) in the wet season, while mean hair P levels were higher (P less than .05) during the dry season. Mean forage, plasma, liver and hair Mg values were higher (P less than .05) in the wet season. Plasma vitamin E, liver vitamin A and forage carotene levels were higher (P less than .05) during the wet season. Mean forage P content was deficient (less than .25%) during both seasons and varied from .10% in the dry season to .16% during the wet season. Mean forage Mg (less than .18%) and K (less than .60%) concentrations were deficient in the dry season. Forage protein was deficient (less than 7.0%) in five of seven ranches during the dry season. Extractable soil Ca, exchangeable soil Ca, Mn, Al, H+, soil organic matter and effective cation exchange capacity were higher (P less than .05) in the Histosol region. Extractable soil K was low (60 ppm) in all regions, except the northwest. Forage P was critical (less than .25%) during the dry season in all regions and varied from .08 to .15%, while plasma P was deficient (4.5 mg/100 ml) in animals from the southeast during the dry season only.

Evaluating the Nutritional Status of Beef Cattle Herds from Four Soil Order Regions of Florida. II. Trace Minerals

“…Mineral deficiencies are often "area" problems. Nevertheless, the study reported herein, and the companion paper (Kiatoko et al, 1982) indicated that P, Se and Zn deficiencies were present in all of the four regions studied. Protein, vitamin A, K, Mg, Na, Cu and Co deficiencies were found in certain regions and were related to season of the year.…”

“…1, 1982 by on October 28, 2010. jas.fass.org Downloaded from soil type regions. Nutritional status of the macroelements, vitamin A and protein were reported in the previous article (Kiatoko et al, 1982); the present paper evaluated the trace minerals.…”

“…Soil samples were collected only during the wet season. Description of cattle, ranch location and methods for the collection and preparation of samples have been described by Fick et al (1979) and Kiatoko et al (1982).…”

“…The trace elements Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Se and Zn were analyzed in both forages and soils as previously described (Kiatoko et al, 1982). Statistical procedures have also been described by Kiatoko et al (1982).…”

Buffalo's biological functions as affected by heat stress — A review

“…However, some studies showed that cattle maintain fairly normal electrolyte balances and others showed either no marked changes in plasma Na, K (Blincoc and Brody, 1951) and Ca (Kamal and Abdelaal, 1972;Shafferi et al, 1981;Kiatoko et al, 1982) or significant increase in plasma P (Kamal and Abdelaal, 1972) and serum Na, K and Ca (Shebaita and Pfau, 1982), under heat stress conditions. These different effects may be due to the difference in availability of diets rich in particular minerals.…”