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Understanding Mineral Content in Plant Products

Sources of Inorganic Elements in Living Cells:

• Plant and animal tissues contain various inorganic elements (minerals) in addition to hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen.
• These minerals are essential for the proper functioning of living cells.

Variability in Mineral Content:

• Different plant species have varying mineral content in their products.
• Cultivated land often influences the mineral fraction of the vegetation that grows on it.
• For instance, the major mineral elements in pastures can show significant variations based on factors like soil quality and cultivation practices.

Examples of Mineral Content Variation:

• Cultivated Pasture: 
  -Silica-free ash: 6.6%
  CaO: 1%
  P2O5: 0.74%
  Na: 0.25%
  K: 3.18%
• Natural Pasture: 
  Silica-free ash: 5.85%
  CaO: 0.65%
  P2O5: 0.64%
  Na: 2.66%
  K: 0.64%
• Poor Hill Pasture: 
  Silica-free ash: 5.49%
  CaO: 0.56%
  P2O5: 0.60%
  Na: 2.6%
  K: 0.6%
• Island of Lewis: 
  Silica-free ash: 4.65%
  CaO: 0.29%
  P2O5: 0.24%
  Na: 0.68%
  K: 0.12%-
• Falkland Islands: 
  Silica-free ash: 4.65%
  CaO: 0.29%
  P2O5: 0.54%
  Na: 2.2%
  K: 0.7%

Understanding the mineral composition of plant products is crucial for assessing their nutritional value and the impact of cultivation practices on their mineral content.

Mineral Content in Plants and Soil

Leguminous Plants and Lime-Rich Soils: 

• Leguminous plants, like clovers, thrive in lime-rich soils, making them notably high in calcium compared to grasses. 
• This relationship is crucial because mineral deficiencies in soil, worsened by climate conditions, can lead to serious deficiency diseases in grazing animals.

Elemental Excess and Toxicity: 

• In arid regions where wells provide water for livestock, excessive levels of certain elements can accumulate. 
• Fluorine, for instance, can reach toxic levels in water sources, posing a risk to livestock health.

Mineral Composition in Plants: 

• Fresh grass and green foods generally contain around 2% to 4% mineral ash, which can vary based on factors like seasonal conditions and plant maturity. 
• The distribution of minerals differs across plant parts; for instance, phosphorus is more abundant in seeds than leaves, while leaves are richer in calcium.

Mineral Variations in Seeds: 

• Legume seeds have a higher calcium content in their husks compared to phosphorus, whereas cereal grains exhibit the opposite pattern. 
• Cereal products can vary significantly in mineral content, as seen in the phosphorus levels of different wheat and oat varieties.

Soil Mineral Deficiencies

Research in India: 

• Limited studies in India have identified regions with mineral deficiencies, particularly in zinc and copper availability in soils across different states.

Impact on Animal Nutrition: 

• Animals rely on feed, water, and pasturelands for essential minerals, with soil quality, seasons, and agroclimatic conditions influencing the mineral content of their diet.

Animal Tissue and Mineral Sources

Calcium and Phosphorus in Animal Tissues: 

• Animal tissues, especially bones, contain significant amounts of calcium and phosphorus, comprising a substantial portion of the animal's body weight. 
• Meals like meat and bone-meal serve as rich sources of these essential minerals for animals' diets.