Soil Ingestion by Cattle on Semiarid Range as Reflected by Titanium Analysis of Feces

Mayland, H.F. and Florence, Arlene and Rosenau, R.C. and Lazar, V.A. (1975) Soil Ingestion by Cattle on Semiarid Range as Reflected by Titanium Analysis of Feces. Journal of Range Management. 28(6):448-452.

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Abstract

Soil ingestion was determined for cattle grazing a
Bromus tectorum range in southern Idaho by measuring
titanium concentrations in animal feces collected at 2-week
intervals during the droughty 1973 grazing season. The
experiment was based on the premise that titanium, which is
abundant in soils, is contained only in small quantities (less
than 1 ppm) in plants not contaminated with soil.

Fecal-soil values averaged 14%, with values ranging from 3
to 30% of fecal dry matter, increasing as forage availability
decreased. Soil ingestion levels were estimated to range from
0.1 to 1.5 kg with a median of 0.5 kg soil/animal-day. This soil
was ingested primarily with the roots of Bromus tectorum,
which were often pulled up and consumed with the
aboveground plant parts. Dust on leaves and stems accounted
for only a small portion of the ingested soil.

Measurements of acid-insoluble residue concentration in
feces overestimated soil ingestion because of the probable
presence of SiO₂ of plant origin. Large changes in forage SiO₂
concentrations of the diet reduce the effectiveness of this
method compared to the Ti method.

Ingested soil may be a possible source of trace minerals,
pesticides, heavy metals, and radionucleides that may be
sorbed to surface soil particles.

Item Type:	Article
NWISRL Publication Number:	0334
Subjects:	Manure Research methodology Mass Import - autoclassified (may be erroneous)
Depositing User:	Dan Stieneke
Date Deposited:	20 Nov 2010 21:51
Last Modified:	15 Feb 2017 20:55
Item ID:	291
URI:	https://eprints.nwisrl.ars.usda.gov/id/eprint/291