Ali Mostafa Tehrani - ۱ Animal Science Research Institute, Agriculture Research, Education and Extension Organization, Karaj, ۳۱۴۶۶, Alborz, Iran
Morteza Keykha-Saber - ۲ Agriculture and Natural Resource Research Center of Sistan, Agriculture Research, Education and Extension Organization, Zabol, ۹۸۶۱۶, Sistan, Iran

This research conducted to assess mineral status of Iranian Sistani cattle using using mineral analysis of major grazed plant species. In late spring season of Sistan basin (located in southwestern Iran), four sites including Saberi, Lorg-Bagh, Kuh-Khaje and Zahak were selected and six major forage species consumed by Sistani cows including Phragmetes australis, Bolboschoenus glaucus, Aeluropus lagopoides, Tamarix spp, Cyperus longus and Setaria sp were sampled and analyzed for minerals. Average macro-mineral concentrations of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chorine, sulfur and micro-minerals of iron, copper, manganese, molybdenum, cobalt and selenium were ۱۷.۳۷, ۰.۷۸, ۶.۸۵, ۱۵.۴۰, ۳.۱۳, ۱۴.۲۲, ۹.۴۹ g/kg and ۸۲۰.۲, ۲۰.۰, ۷۲.۸, ۹۳.۲, ۰.۴۳, ۰.۲۱ and ۰.۱۸ mg/kg for sampling sites and ۱۲.۱۴, ۰.۷۷, ۶.۳۵, ۱۷.۸۵, ۳.۵۹, ۱۴.۴۰, ۵.۰۱ g/kg and ۱۱۰۶.۰, ۱۸.۵, ۶۴.۸, ۱۲۲.۴, ۰.۳۲, ۰.۱۹, and ۰.۱۶ mg/kg for forage species, respectively. Comparison of the plant minerals with Sistani cattle mineral requirements showed that Sistani cattle grazing natural indigenous forages was exposed to phosphorus deficiency and iron excess.

assessment, mineral status, natural forage, Sistani cattle