Effect of Growth Stage on the Macro Mineral Concentrations of Forbs and Grasses in a Semi-Arid Region of Sudan

Ruminants grazing forages in severely mineral-deficient areas may be more restricted by this condition than by inadequacy of energy or protein. Mineral imbalances in soils and forages are responsible for low production and reproduction in grazing livestock. As grazing livestock are not usually offered mineral supplements apart from common salt, they depend upon forages for their requirements. However forages rarely fully satisfy all mineral requirements. Mineral intakes of livestock are influenced by the factors that determine the mineral content of plants and their seeds. The concentrations of minerals in plants depend largely on plant genotype, soil environment, climate and stage of maturity. Leguminous species are generally much richer in macro-elements than grasses growing in similar conditions, whether temperate or tropical. The objective of this study is to assess the status of the macro-mineral elements Na, K, P, Ca, and Mg in the dominant native species during the flowering and seed set stages of plant growth at Sheikan Locality, North Kordofan State, Sudan