Analysis of trace element composition of soil, water and fodder in the sheep dispensary system

The development of sheep farming in Ukraine requires effective monitoring of the health of sheep in collective and private farms, which is carried out through regular medical check-ups. These are conducted before insemination, 3–4 weeks before lambing, and 3–4 weeks after. Dispensary checks for young sheep include daily clinical examinations, and from two months of age, once or twice a week. This process has its peculiarities and difficulties related to the specifics of sheep farming, especially in the Western biogeochemical zone, which is characterized by a deficiency of mobile forms of Cobalt, Copper, Iodine, Zinc, Manganese, and Selenium, leading to the development of microelement deficiencies in animals. The research results on the mineral content of soils, water, feed, and the diet of the Prekos breed's young sheep are presented to analyze their impact on developing microelement deficiencies within the dispensary system. Based on the analysis of soils from the ESPC “Komarnivske” of the Horodok district of the Lviv region, a decrease in the concentration of Copper in the soil by 7.3 times, Cobalt by 1.41 times, Manganese by 2.24 times, Zinc by 7.54 times, Cadmium by 3.26 times, Lead by 2.3 times, and Nickel by 1.64 times was found compared to the maximum permissible concentration. In the water used to water the sheep, a low content of Cobalt was found to be 3.7 times lower, Copper by 1.2 times, Zinc by 4.2 times, Manganese by 7.14 times, and, on the other hand, a high content of Cadmium, Lead, Nickel, and Iron. In meadow and cereal hay, low content of Manganese was found at 3.9 and 1.5 times, iron at 2.28 and 1.07 times, Cobalt and Copper at 17.5 and 4 times, and 3.57 and 4.5 times, respectively. Zinc availability was 77.4% and 85.8%. In wheat and oat grains, a reduced content of Manganese was found to be 1.35 and 1.45 times, iron by 5.44 and 14.8 mg, with an excess of Zinc, Cobalt, and Copper.