CHEMICAL-COMPOSITION OF PLANTS ASSOCIATED WITH SALINE SITES IN ALBERTA IN RELATION TO MINERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR BEEF-CATTLE

Plant samples were collected from 102 saline sites in Alberta from 199 0 to 1993 to determine major element and trace element concentrations in relation to mineral requirements for beef cattle. Zinc concentratio ns were most frequently (94%) below the minimum requirement for beef c attle, followed by Cu (92%), Se (87%), Na (49%), Mn (29%), K (21%), Mg (3%), Fe (1%) and S (1%). The element most frequently exceeding the m aximum tolerable level for beef cattle was S (20%), followed by Mg (17 %), Al (5%), Fe (5%) and Mo (1%). Beef cattle consuming plants from sa line areas of Alberta are more likely to experience potential deficien cies than toxicities of chemical elements required for adequate nutrit ion.