Livestock doles out 51.8% of agricultural value added and it shares 11.3% to national GDP. Livestock supports the lives of 30-35 million people in rural areas. The total population of cattle, buffalo, sheep and goat in the Pakistan is 33.0, 29.9, 27.4 and 58.3 millions, respectively. The beef and mutton production is 1,601 and 509 thousand tons respectively. The milk production from cow, buffalo, sheep and goat is 14,982, 27,028, 36 and 719 (000 tons) (Anonymous, 2009). The livestock sector of Pakistan is very important. It is the rich source of food items like milk, meat etc. and also provides raw material to industry like leather, wool, bones, hair etc. Livestock production mainly depends on two factors; management and nutrition. The provision of feed stuffs of adequate balanced nutrition is likely to be the most limiting factor in increasing livestock production. One of the vital components of nutrition is minerals which play important role in various body functions and body structures of animals. Minerals' deficiency is the major problem of livestock and its estimation in blood, soil, forages will be helpful for providing balance nutrition to livestock. The basic aim of the study was to identify the imbalance and deficiencies of micro mineral (Zinc) in livestock of two districts of Punjab province. For this purpose, samples of blood, water, soil, crops and feed stuffs were taken. For the purpose of sampling, each district was divided into five sub-locations and these were considered as representative area of the district. Samples were taken from each sub-location.

These samples were brought to laboratory for analysis. For analysis of minerals, Atomic Absorption Spectrometer was used. Samples were analyzed for Zinc. The maps were developed on basis of geographical distribution of the Zn in soil, water, forages and animals' status with the help of GIS technology based on Global Positioning System. This study was helpful in providing the information about the present Zinc status in livestock of two districts to formulate rations and premixes. The data thus collected was subjected to one-way anova and t-test (Steel etal, 1997).

Significant (p<0.05) difference was observed between summer and winter seasons for Zn in plasma of goats and Kids in Hafizabad and Okara districts. Significant (p<0.05) difference was seen in Zn status of plasma of sheep, buffalo and cattle during all physiological stages between summer and winter seasons in Hafizabad and Okara districts. Significant (p<0.05) difference was found in Zn status of plasma of lambs during winter and summer seasons between Hafizabad and Okara districts. Non significant (p>0.05) was observed for Zn value in plasma of goat, kids and sheep during summer and winter season between Hafizabad and Okara districts. Significant (p<0.05) difference was seen in lactating cattle and young stock buffalo during both seasons and in young stock cattle during winter season between Hafizabad and Okara districts. Non significant (p>0.05) difference was observed in lactating, dry/pregnant buffalo and dry/pregnant cattle during summer and winter seasons between both districts. The highest value of Zn was seen in young stock buffalo (1.43 ± 0.15 ppm) in Hafizabad district during winter season and the lowest value was found in sheep plasma (0.70 ± 0.01 ppm) during summer season in Okara district. The highest value for Zn level in the soil is found in Hafizabad district (4.10 ± 0.02 ppm) during winter season and in Okara district (3.16±0.07 ppm), during summer season. The overall value of Zn for summer and winter seasons was highest for Hafizabad (3.47 ± 0.05 ppm) district. In wheat fodder, the highest value of Zn was seen in Hafizabad district (0.0228 ± 0.005 mg/kg) and for Sorghum fodder highest value was observed in Okara district (374.0 ± 177.4 mg/kg). In corn grain, the highest value of Zn was seen in Okara district (0.0288 ± 0.002mg/kg). The highest value for wheat grain was observed in Hafizabad district (680 ± 216.2 mg/kg) and for rice grain in Okara district (55.2 ± 24.9 mg/kg). In wanda, significant (p<0.05) difference was observed between both districts.