Mapping of Minerals in Common Feed Resources and Animal's Diet of Tribal Belt of Rajasthan

Mineral contents of common feed resources and diets of cattle, buffalo and goat under existing feeding system in tribal belt of Rajasthan was studied. Green fodder and tree leaves found in the region are good source of calcium 29.00–41.00% and 0.60–1.64%, respectively and poor source of phosphorus 0.14–0.17% and 0.14–0.19%, respectively. Green fodder, straws and tree leaves except cereal grains contained adequate magnesium. Cajanus cajan, green gram, black gram, wheat, gram and paddy straw, sorghum stover and green leaves ofLeuceana leucocephala (subabool), Madhuca indica (mahua), Calotropis gigantean (aak), Bambusa bambos (bamboo), Tamarindus Indica (tamarind), Balor,Tectona grandis (teak),Albizia lebbeck (siris) contained relatively lower levels of Zn than normal. All the common feed resources contained adequate Cu and some contained more than the required amount. Cereal grains are poor while green sawa grass, dubali creeper and gram andCajanus cajan straw and tree leaves are good source of manganese. All the feedstuffs found in the region contained good amount of iron, higher than the normal value. The diets of cattle, buffalo and goat were invariably deficient in calcium and phosphorus and adequate in Mg, Mn, Cu, Zn and Fe content during lactation and pregnancy stages under existing feeding system. The present study suggested that calcium and phosphorus be supplemented during pregnancy and lactation in animals of tribal belt through mineral mixtures or concentrate mixtures for improving production and reproduction.