Plant contents of magnesium, calcium and potassium in relation to ruminant nutrition

Abstract

Grass tetany and wheat pasture poisoning are metabolic diseases of mature, lactating beef cattle. In some other countries, similar problems occur with dairy cattle. In grass tetany, the animals generally are grazing cool-season forages in which Mg concentration or bioavailability of plant Mg is low. Levels of Mg in the blood serum also generally are low. Grass tetany can occur in beef cattle fed hay made from grass, small grains or alfalfa Medicago sativa L.). In wheat pasture poisoning where animals are grazing small grains forages, blood levels of Ca often are low, and blood Mg also may be low. Both grass tetany and wheat pasture poisoning occur when plants are growing rapidly in the spring, at the time of heavy lactation demand by ruminants for Mg and Ca. When the temperature increases and plants start to grow rapidly in the spring, concentrations of K, N, organic acids, and the ratio of K/(Ca + Mg) all increase, and the percent dry matter decreases. Much research remains to be done to understand all the soil, plant, and animal aspects of grass tetany and wheat pasture poisoning.