Mineral status of llamas and sheep in the Bolivian Altiplano

An experiment was conducted in the highlands (Altiplano) of Bolivia to establish the specific mineral status for growing llamas compared to sheep grazing unfertilized, native pastures. Animal tissues (plasma, liver and bone), forage and soil samples were collected during the wet and dry seasons and analyzed for mineral contents. During the wet season, forages were higher (P less than 0.05) in Ca, K, Fe and protein. Percent borderline to deficient forage concentrations during the wet and dry seasons, respectively, were found as follows: protein (less than 7.0%) 20 and 53; CCa (less than 0.30%) 10 and 40; Cu (less than 5 ppm) 20 and 47; K (less than 0.5%) 10 and 20; Mg (less than 0.08%) 10 and 20; Na (less than 0.1%) 30 and 69; P (less than 0.25%) 100 and 100; Zn (less than 30 ppm) 60 and 80; and Se (less than 0.1 ppm) 90 and 93% of the total forages, respectively. Concentrations of liver Mg, Co, Mn, Mo, Se and Zn, plasma Mg and Cu and rib (percent ash) Ca, Mg and P were all higher (P less than 0.05) during the wet than in the dry season. Compared to llamas, sheep had higher (P les than 0.05) concentrations of plasma Ca, Cu, Fe and Zn, rib (milligram/milliliter) P, Mg and Zn and liver Fe, but lower (P less than 0.05) concentrations of liver Co, Cu, Mn and MO. On the basis of forage and animal tissue analyses, the nutrients protein, P, Ca, Zn, Na and Se would be insufficient for optimum production of grazing livestock in the high plains of Bolivia.