ABSTRACT
Dietary salt (NaCl) was used as a mineral supplement for decades. Recommendations for minerals have been set to maximize animal growth rate, milk yield and reproduction. High levels of salt in the feed or water will increase the sodium and chloride and maybe other mineral concentrations and this has certain implications on animal performance. Levels and types of minerals in water/feeds vary greatly, depending on several factors. Salt-tolerant plants may contain over 20% salts in their edible parts (Wilson 1975) and runs up to more than 40% of plant materials (Attia-Ismail 2008a). The high content of ash is a typical characteristic of halophytes. Mineral contents differ in halophytes from those of regular forages.
