The mean proportion of estimated intakes that ranged between minimum requirement and maximum tolerable level was approximately 17% higher for 17 species than for a single species. These results suggest that increasing the plant diversity
in the pasture reduced the risk of mineral deficiencies or toxicities. Our results indicate that wild plants, normally regarded as weeds, should be maintained within improved pasture to maintain species diversity and assist with the mineral balance of animals grazed upon it. This work is an important precursor to future studies linking animal husbandry and ecological research.