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The Level of Soil Fertility and its Relation to Plant and Animal Production

Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station

Abstract

Nutrient deficiencies in the rations of farm animals have been the subject of many investigations. Certain elements that are deficient in soils may lead to deficiencies in plants and to abnormal conditions in animals fed on them. Comprehensive investigations involving the relationships of soils, plants, and animals are being given attention in some areas, and it seems that such work may be of greater importance as the deterioration of soil fertility proceeds due to long and continuous cropping and to the effects of soil erosion.

That such possibilities exist was supported to a limited extent at the Illinois Station by Wright (1941) in the response of lambs when trace elements were added to the ration. More recently Pope et al. (1947) submitted evidence of a deficiency area in northeastern Wisconsin. Deficiencies of trace elements have been reported in several other areas. Aphosphorosis in cattle and sheep, due to a lack of phosphorus in the soil or to the failure of plants to contain sufficient phosphorus for these animals' needs, has been reported extensively.

¹ Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent of Dixon Springs Experiment Station, Professor of Animal Science, Associate Professor of Agronomy, Professor of Animal Nutrition, respectively, University of Illinois.