50 MISC. PUBLICATION 194, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 



stocls: in the United States. Such mineral deficiencies are responsible 

 for many cases of malnutrition and some cases of actual disease. In 

 cases where there is no disease there may be low fertility, a high death 

 rate in young animals, stmited growth, and meager milk yields. 



Poor soil results in a lowered production of pasture grasses, 

 and these like other crops, are deficient in those elements that 

 are deficient in the soil. Such deficiencies are especially common on 

 acid soils resulting from the leaching out of soluble minerals by heavy 

 rainfall. The scant growth on arid land has been found to contain 

 about twice as much soluble calcium and phosphorus as the luxuriant 

 growth of coarse vegetation on well-watered but acid soil. The 

 absence or scarcity of legumes in a pasture which has not been severely 

 overgrazed is an indication of insufficient phosphorus. The content 

 of phosphorus in pasturage is greatest in the spring and decreases as 

 the plants become mature. Phosphorus deficiency is also more severe 

 during droughts than during times of adequate moisture supply, 

 regardless of the stage of maturity of the plants. On the other hand, 

 the lime content of grasses is usually lowest in the spring and increases 

 as the season progresses. 



In southern United States, particularly in the Gulf coast region, 

 such so-called diseases as creeps, stiffs, sweeny, and loin disease of 

 cattle are the result of phosphorus deficiency. The first symptoms of 

 a phosphorus deficiency are usually manifested by a perverted or 

 depraved appetite on the part of the animal, as evidenced by the 

 chewing of wood and bones. This condition can usually be prevented 

 and, with the exception of advanced stages, may be cured by feeding 

 from 5 to 10 grams of phosphorus per head daily to mature beef 

 cattle grazed on a phosphorus-deficient range. Lactating cows 

 will usually require from 12 to 15 grams of phosphorus per head daily 

 on a sumlar range. Sterilized bone meal, spent bone black, and 

 dicalcium and disodium phosphates are good sources of phosphorus. 

 The latter two are not palatable and accordingly should be mixed 

 with common salt or some palatable feed. Disodium phosphate is 

 soluble in water and may be supplied through the drinkmg water. 

 Mature beef cattle will consume from 1 to 3 pounds of salt per head 

 a month, depending somewhat on the locahty and type of feeds and 

 vegetation available. 



The Florida Agricultural Experiment Station has found that certain 

 soils of Florida are deficient in iron and copper, and that cattle grazing 

 the vegetation on such soils suffer from a nutritional anemia known 

 locally as ''salt sick." It was found that this condition could be 

 corrected by allowing the cattle access to a mineral mixture consisting 

 of 100 pounds of common salt, 25 pounds of red oxide of iron, and 1 

 pound of finely ground copper sulphate, mixed thoroughly to over- 

 come the poisonous effects of the copper sulphate. 



Many areas of the upper Mississippi Valley and some sections of 

 the Rocky Mountain region are deficient in iodine, wliich results in 

 goiter. Extremely small quantities of iodine compounds are given to 

 overcome this condition. A suitable formula for a particular locality 

 may be obtamed from the agricultural experiment station of the 

 State in which it is located. 



Under natural conditions, where there is a mineral deficiency the 

 animals have become adapted to the condition. They do not repro- 

 duce untn they are mature and have stored enough minerals to with- 

 stand the drain of rearing young. Then 2 or 3 years may pass before 

 the female is ready for producmg young again. When animals of 



