Effect of soil contamination on the element composition of herbage

Abstract

Clover and ryegrass samples from two areas grazed with 15 and 22 sheepfha contained approximately 10 and 25% of soil respectively, and mean soil contents of faeces from the two groups of sheep were 37 and 69% respectively. The concentration of a number of clements was five times or more higher in grazed pasture than in ungrazed. As soil is usually a component of grazed herbage, analysis of clean herbage will give only the minimum element intake of animals.