Variation of mineral profile of sheep with respect to season, topography and physiological stage in Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir

In order to assess the mineral profile of different classes of sheep in two different seasons (autumn and winter) and in two topographical regions (hills and planes) an experiment was conducted in 25 villages (11 from hilly and 14 from plain areas) of Ganderbal district of Kashmir valley. From each village, 5 farmer families were selected randomly and representative samples of blood were collected for investigation from different classes of apparently healthy sheep. The blood samples so collected were processed and analyzed for macro and micro-nutrients viz., calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, copper and iron by standard procedures using atomic absorption spectrophotometer and analysed statistically. Lactating and pregnant ewes were found to have comparatively lower plasma levels of different minerals as compared to weaners and rams indicating the preferential balanced feeding of rams and weaners reared for meat purposes. Further animals reared in plains were mostly found to have plasma mineral levels comparatively higher than those of reared in hills indicative of higher mineral profile of roughages in plains than in hills, except magnesium where it was on higher side in hills. Further blood mineral profile was higher in winter than in spring, indicating that nutrient reserves in animals are exhausted till spring. On the whole, animals were found deficient to marginally deficient in calcium, phosphorus, zinc and copper and therefore there is need of dietary supplementation of these minerals.