Variation in the mineral and crude-protein content of pastures at Muguga in the Kenya highlands

Abstract

1. Variations in the crude-protein and mineral content of pastures at Muguga are described.2. At all times sodium appeared to be inadequate, and during dry periods phosphorus and crude protein were also apparently deficient.3. Except for sodium and calcium, the amounts present of all substances determined largely depended upon the amount of recent rain.4. The difficulties of interpreting such data have been considered.

The mineral status of Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya: a reconnaissance survey

“…In the Rift Valley, neither soil pH nor soil organic matter content were found to have any influence on the incidence of copper deficiency in wheat (Pinkerton, 1967). Soil wetness and, in particular, its fluctuation with season have been linked directly to variations in the copper content of pastures at Muguga in the Kenyan highlands (Howard & Burdin, 1962). In many parts of the world, the availability of molybdenum to plants increases with soil pH over the range 4-8 and also with increasing organic carbon content and the degree of soil wetness (Mitchell, 1971;Thomson et al, 1972).…”

“…The availability is influenced by a number of physical and chemical soil factors of which soil type has already been discussed. Soil wetness and, in particular, its fluctuation with season have been linked directly to variations in the copper content of pastures at Muguga in the Kenyan highlands (Howard & Burdin, 1962). In the Rift Valley, neither soil pH nor soil organic matter content were found to have any influence on the incidence of copper deficiency in wheat (Pinkerton, 1967).…”

“…Some Rift Valley soils have been found to be low in the elements copper (Pinkerton, 1967) and cobalt (Chamberlain, 1959). Deficiencies of copper in the Nakuru area have been reported in pastures (Howard, 1970) and wheat (Pinkerton et al, 1965); cobalt deficiency was identified as the cause of 'Nakuruitis', a wasting disease of cattle (Hudson, 1944). Emaciation and weakness of hind quarters have been widely reported in impala (Aepyceros melampus (Lichtenstein)) in the park, and Defassa waterbuck (Kobus defassa (Ruppell)) have showed signs of emaciation and loss of coat condition.…”

Digestibility and growth performance of DorperAfar F1 sheep fed Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana) hay supplemented with alfalfa (Medicago sativa), Lablab (Lablab purpures), Leucaena leucocephala and concentrate mixture

“…The CP content of the hay used in this study was similar to the CP content of good quality grass hay (11%) reported by McDonald (2002), and was within the range of 7.5 -15.45% reported for natural pasture hay (Yihalem, 2004;Solomon et al, 2008a, b). At leaf stage (around a growth period of 30-40 days) Rhodes grass contained 12% CP the level which is often quoted to meet the minimum requirement for lactating cows (Howard, 1962;Stobbs, 1971;Said, 1974). However, at and after the growth stage of 75 days, the CP content drops below 7% the minimum level required for positive nitrogen balance (Milford and Haydock, 1965).…”

White monkey syndrome and presumptive copper deficiency in wild savannah baboons

“…Because rainfall is unlikely to have a direct effect on an animal's trace mineral concentration, the suggested association between relative mineral concentrations in the baboon hair and rainfall probably results from an indirect effect propagated by environmental factors that influence trace mineral bioavailability. One plausible explanation is that soil moisture affects the trace mineral concentration in plants and soil [Howard et al, 1962; Shuman, 1980]. Particularly in tropical savannah ecosystems, highly seasonal rainfall patterns can result in either severe depletion of elements or accumulation to toxic levels [reviewed in Dissanayake & Chandrajith, 1999].…”