ASSESSMENT OF CHROMIUM CONCENTRATIONS IN SOIL-PLANT-ANIMAL CONTINUUM: POSSIBLE RISK FOR GRAZING CATTLE

The present study was conducted to examine the chromium (Cr) status of soil, forage and lactating cows at Livestock Experimental Station, Khizerabad, Sargodha, Pakistan. Samples of soil, forage, blood plasma and milk were collected periodically with a regular interval of one month each and subjected to acid digestion to assess the influence of the sampling intervals on Cr as well as the transfer of this element from soil to forage and onwards to animal during the whole experimentation period. The Cr contents of soil and forage were severely deficient in relation to the requirement for forage and ruminant growth and development, whereas that of blood plasma and milk was marginal deficient level. Supplementing the deficient levels of Cr with locally available feed resources and mineral mixtures having high availability of this element would alleviate the deficiency of chromium in the animal ranch.

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