Macro and micro mineral status of feeds and fodders in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh

Twelve villages, representing Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh, were selected to collect samples of feeds and fodders offered to dairy animals at random. The samples were analysed for calcium, phosphorus, copper and zinc. The calcium and phosphorus contents in roughages and concentrate were apparently in the normal range. These feedstuffs could meet 50 to 80% of the requirement of both Ca and P. The mean values for Cu content in wheat straw, paddy straw, maize, green oats, berseem, napier bajra, wheat flour, maize flour, barley flour, cottonseed cake, cottonseed, mustard cake and mash feed was 1.80, 1.90, 3.96, 4.00, 4.35, 8.11, 8.78, 0.10, 10.22, 14.11, 10.78, 10.99 and 13.89 ppm on DM basis, respectively. Zinc in wheat straw was 17.58, paddy straw 15.78, maize 16.12, green oat 15.45, berseem 19.27 and napier bajra 18.19 ppm on DM basis, respectively. Among concentrate ingredients, zinc content was 31.59, 34.30, 37.40, 49.81, 40.76, 49.41 and 51.63 ppm in wheat flour, maize flour, barley flour, cottonseed cake, cottonseed, mustard cake and mash feed, respectively. About 50% of all the grasses and straws (wheat and paddy) in the district were found to be deficient in Cu and Zn. The results showed that wheat and paddy straw were highly deficient in Ca, P, Cu and Zn. Green fodders like maize, oats, berseem and napier bajra were deficient in Cu and Zn. Cereal and mash concentrate feeds were also deficient in Cu and Zn to varied extent.