Project development assessment: mineral elements limiting sheep production in China (project 8911)

Summary

ACIAR Project 8911, 'Mineral Elements Limiting Sheep Production in China', addresses the issue that inadequate supplies of essential minerals to grazing sheep in northern China have a significant detrimental effect on the production of those animals. This problem was identified through the results of a previous ACIAR project, PN 8454 'Mineral Nutrition in Small Ruminants in north-west and north-east China'. Project 8454 found inconclusive evidence of inadequate mineral intakes in grazing sheep at three sites in northern China. Project 8911 proposes to determine the extent of the mineral deficiencies in grazing sheep in northern China and develop appropriate methods of providing supplements to grazing sheep. The research is to be undertaken in conjunction with Chinese scientists. The experimental work will examine nutrient deficiencies at multiple sites in the provinces?regions of Xinjiang, Gansu, Inner Mongolia, Jilin and Heilongjiang. These regions and provinces in north-west and north-east China account for over 67% of all fine wool and semi-fine wool sheep in China (Copland 1987). Figure 1 indicates the five regions and provinces included in the project