The Major and Trace Element Composition of Some East African Feedingstuffs

Abstract

In the experimental work being carried out on the Muguga Farm of the Joint Division of Animal Industry of the East African Agriculture and Forestry Research Organization and the East African Veterinary Research Organization, a variety of feedingstuffs is being used, and a knowledge of their mineral composition was desired. As these feedingstuffs represent a typical cross-section of those in use in East Africa, it was felt that publication of the data wou: d be of benefit to other users. Of the 18 samp: es analysed, 15 were obtained from commercial sources, while the remainder, beans, barley and lupin were the produce of the Muguga Farm. The major constituents, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and sodium, are expressed on a dry matter percentage basis and are shown in Table I, while the trace elements (Tab: e II), copper, manganese, iron, strontium, barium, chromium, cobalt, nickel, zinc, titanium, silver, molybdenum, vanadium, tin and lead, are recorded as parts per million of dry matter. In all cases, the concentration given is that of the metal, not the oxide, in accordance with modern practice. As little is known of the origin of most samples, the concentrations can only be taken as a guide to the mineral and trace element composition, and in some cases the presence