Good points made by Prof Anoop, healthy soil is essential for the production of crops used to feed humans and livestock. This process is important in food chain for meeting the micronutirent requirement of consumer for which soils should be rich in micronutrients.
Why do cows lick soils..?
Cows lick soil because a shortage of mineral (possibly phosphorus or salt), rumen acidosis (this is controversial), craving for mineral (but not deficient), lack of long fiber, or boredom. Some cows consuming a wet ration with no long hay or lush pasture will eat soil. You might offer sodium bentonite, salt, and bicarb free choice (monitor intake) to see if this reduces soil licking. ..
Healthy soil is essential for the production of crops used to feed humans and livestock. All cattle ingest small amounts of dirt as they graze, but if they're searching out bare soil to eat there's a problem. If you see your cattle dining on dirt, there may be something missing in their diet.It could also be that the cow is just bored and is eating dirt to pass the time.There are no specific tests to determine if the cow is eating too much dirt, so good observation skills are a must. You may notice she's off-feed, feeling weak, or devouring a mouthful of soil. If you suspect a problem, there are steps you can take.
The Chemistry and Mineralogy of Three Savanna Lick Soils (Journal of Chemical Ecology, October 1999, Volume 25, Issue 10, pp 2215–2228)
Abstract : Three lick soils were sampled from the Mkomazi Game Reserve, Tanzania, and subjected to geochemical and mineralogical analysis. Compared to 88 samples of topsoil collected for a reconnaissance geochemical soil survey, the lick soils are geochemically distinct, being either enriched in certain constituents (e.g., total and extractable Na) or depleted in others (e.g., the base cations) depending on the lick soil considered. There are notable differences in the geochemistry and mineralogy of the lick soils to the extent that no single characteristic of these soils can explain their exploitation. One lick soil, enriched in kaolinite, could act as a pharmaceutical agent by preventing or treating gastrointestinal upsets. Two lick soils are enriched in Na, which may explain their utilization, although both soils to a lesser or greater extent additionally contain constituents such as CaCO3 and smectite, which can alleviate acidosis (and smectite can act as a pharmaceutical agent, similar to kaolinite). One of these soils, an extremely alkaline, highly calcareous, and saline–sodic soil is particularly distinctive and may provide a range of benefits if consumed in appropriate amounts.
Good points made by Prof Anoop, healthy soil is essential for the production of crops used to feed humans and livestock. This process is important in food chain for meeting the micronutirent requirement of consumer for which soils should be rich in micronutrients.
Apart from above as explained by Dr. Anoop, organic matter content, texture, dark colour, and ph value are general characteristics of soil. Though there are many other specific characters also.
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