Mineral in crop residues and interaction with soil minerals contents in Ethiopia: review

Abstract

This review aims is to explore different authors’ views about mineral contents of crop residues, aiming to demonstrate the benefit of supplementing minerals from soil with crop residue minerals, as well as point out effects on livestock productivity. Crop residue is the second main livestock feed resource, followed by natural pasture in Ethiopia, which has poor nutritive values. Nutrient composition of plant materials/crop residue depends on the nutrient availability of the soil, while nutrient availability of the soils depends on the nature of soils, season, climate, the topography of the land, interaction between animals and humans, time/period of sampling and application of inorganic fertilizers. Trace minerals deficiency of grazing land causes different effects on livestock and the plants themselves. Many incidences of mineral inadequacies in forages and soils have turned out the main causes of reproduction failure and low production rates by Ethiopian livestock.