April - June 2007 - Kasetsart University

CONCLUSION
AND RECOMMENDATION
With the exception of Bole soils, the
present study revealed that supplementation with
the three remaining mineral soils improved the
total weight gain over the negative control sheep.
Moreover, the daily mineral soil intake of sheep
fed on Jair soil was higher than sheep received
different mineral sources. Sheep in all soil mineral
treatments except Bole soil, consume minerals at
the same level as complete mineral treated group.
However, the daily weight gain of animals fed
complete mineral lick was highest when compared
to all the remaining treatment sheep. Based on liver
analysis, the present study reveals that all treatment
group animals do not require additional micro
minerals such as Mn, Cu and Zn. Hence,
pastoralists can use natural mineral soils as mineral
supplement sources to their animals. Though, there
is a need to correct the deficiencies of certain
minerals. In order to achieve the desire result in
sheep production, phosphorus should be adjusted/
corrected in mineral supplementation. For
improved mineral feeding, the provision of salt
licks together with mineral soils and bone meal
would provide a convenient and effective means
of ensuring adequate mineral supplementation.
This could be beneficial to the pastoralists and in
return would have a national benefit in having
sustainable sheep production. Pastoralists should
be made aware of the possible incidence of mineral
deficiencies as parts of range land are lacking in a
number of mineral elements that are essential in
animal nutrition. Therefore, it is recommended that
planned mineral surveys must be conducted in
wide areas of the region in order to detect mineral
inadequacies for formulating balanced mineral
mixture to the animals.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors would like to express their
Kasetsart J. (Nat. Sci.) 41(2) 297
gratitude to the management of Somali Pastoral
and Agro Pastoral Research Institute (SoRPARI)
staff for their endless support during the
experimental period. We gratefully acknowledge
EARO/ARTP for funding this study. Moreover,
we appreciate Assistance Professors Dr. Sakron
Koonawootrittriron and Dr. Panwadee
Sopannarath for their valuable assistance in
statistical analysis.
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