Deficiencies of sodium and sulphur in sorghum forage for animal production in eastern Australia

Abstract

The response to supplements of sodium and sulphur by beef and dairy cattle and sheep grazing sorghum is briefly reviewed. Analysis of 95 samples of sorghum forage obtained from 30 locations in eastern Australia indicated that a high proportion contained insufficient sodium or sulphur, or both, for maximum animal production : 78% contained <0.03% sodium, 24% contained <0.1% sulphur and 43% had nitrogen/sulphur ratios greater than 15 : 1