The Grass Roots of Healthy Horse Hay - Introduction

Chapter 1 - Defining Fertility

Chapter 2 - Notes on Protein

Chapter 3 - Calcium and a Primer on Soil Minerals

Chapter 4 - Magnesium

Chapter 5 - Potassium, With Notes on Sodium (Salt)

Chapter 6 - The Grass Tetany Ratio

Chapter 7 - Phosphorus

THE TRACE MINERALS

This part of the book is as yet unwritten.

At the time when soil science focused on soil fertility in the production of nutritious food (pre 1960s), not a great deal was known about trace minerals and their function in helping to catalyze nutrients within plants.

A split came along between soil science and nutrition science as a result of political and financial incentives, causing agronomy to focus on yield instead of nutrition.  The science of nutrition branched out on its own, separating whole nutrition into its constituent parts, and convincing us that we could get our nutrition out of bottles, and our livestock, their nutrition from "ground rocks", as a substitute for the nutrients lost to us by eating food raised on mineral deficient soil.

Most of the research I have undertaken on the role of trace minerals now deals exclusively with genetic modification. I have encountered extreme difficulty in sourcing research that links the traces to the biosynthesis of actual vitamins, proteins and other phytonutrients.  The information is out there.  I just need to find it.

Chapter 8 - Getting the Most Out Of A Forage Analysis