title: Growth, reproductive performance, and manganese status of heifers fed varying concentrations of manganese.
abstract: An experiment was conducted to examine the effects of dietary Mn on growth, reproductive performance, and Mn status of beef heifers. Eighty Angus (n = 40) and Simmental (n = 40) heifers, averaging 249 kg, were stratified by BW within a breed and randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments providing 0 (control), 10, 30, or 50 mg of supplemental Mn/kg of DM from MnSO(4). Heifers were individually fed a diet containing cottonseed hulls, corn gluten feed, citrus pulp, and ground corn, and the control diet contained 15.8 mg of Mn/kg of DM by analysis. Average daily gain, DMI, and G:F for the 196-d period were not affected by Mn supplementation. Control heifers had reduced (P = 0.04) liver Mn when contrasted with the 3 levels of supplemental Mn. Serum cholesterol was greater (P = 0.001) in Angus compared with Simmental heifers over the course of the 196-d experiment but was not affected by treatment. Dietary Mn did not significantly affect measures of reproductive performance. Results of this study indicate that 15.8 mg of Mn/kg of diet DM should be adequate for growth, onset of estrus, and conception of beef heifers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Spears
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Lloyd
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Whisnant
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D004032:Diet; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D008345:Manganese / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D014131:Trace Elements; D008345:Manganese