Evaluation of Minerals of Shrub Plant Forages Consumed by Goats in the Arid Southern Rangeland of the Peninsula of Baja California, Mexico

Minerals play a vital role in growth, reproduction, health and proper functioning of an animal. The present study was conducted to evaluate minerals of shrubby plants used as forage by grazing goats in an arid area in the peninsula of Baja California, Mexico. Leaves, pods, stems, or flowers of 16 species, which included legumes and non-legumes species, were sampled manually and were analyzed for Ca, K, Mg, Na, Mn, P, N, Zn, and Cu. It was found that the non-legumes selected by goats are of good nutritional quality, since they provide a higher content of the majority of essential minerals. The results indicate that for meeting the mineral requirement of goats during drought or arid seasons, the pasture forages had adequate levels of most macro minerals Ca, Mg, K, and Na, except P. However, these forages had lower content of micro minerals Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu. Trace-minerals are needed for supplementation in ruminant feed during the winter or particularly during the dry season when the mineral quantity in the forage plants decrease. The quality of these fodders is under drought stress and need sustainable utilization for the longevity of the rangeland.