Impact of trace mineral source on beef replacement heifer growth, reproductive development, and biomarkers of maternal recognition of pregnancy and embryo survival

Abstract

Trace minerals are known to play important roles in early embryo development. The study objective was to determine effects of trace mineral source on heifer reproductive performance. Beef heifers (n = 129) were randomly assigned to one of two treatments. From weaning through breeding, all heifers were individually fed a basal diet supplemented with Co, Cu, Mn, and Zn either from organic sources (COMP; Cu, Mn, and Zn amino acid complexes and Co glucoheptonate; Availa-4, Zinpro Corporation, Eden Prairie, MN) or inorganic sources (INORG; Cu, Mn, and Zn hydroxychlorides; Intellibond C, M, and Z, Micronutrients, Indianapolis, IN) and Co as CoSO4. Blood samples and a reproductive tract score (RTS) were collected to determine pubertal status. All animals were synchronized and artificially inseminated (AI). Pregnancy status was determined by lymphocyte gene expression, circulating concentrations of pregnancy associated glycoproteins (PAG), and by transrectal ultrasonography after AI. Embryonic loss was defined as when a previously pregnant animal was subsequently diagnosed not pregnant. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure in SAS. Puberty (P = 0.44), pelvic area (P = 0.74), RTS (P = 0.49), and estrus expression (P = 0.82) were not influenced by treatment. There was no effect of treatment (P = 0.37) or treatment by time (P = 0.19) on pregnancy, but there was a tendency (P = 0.13) for decreased embryonic loss among COMP heifers (27 ± 6%) compared to INORG heifers (38 ± 6%). There was a treatment by pregnancy status by time interaction (P < 0.01) on circulating PAG concentrations with PAG concentrations tending (P = 0.08) to be greater on d 25 among heifers in the COMP treatment compared to heifers in the INORG group. In summary, source of trace mineral did not affect puberty, RTS, pelvic area, or overall pregnancy success, but feeding complexed trace minerals tended to increase circulating PAG concentrations and embryo survival.

Adaptive changes in immunological, hematological and metabolic profiles of pregnant cows

“…Important changes in the body of cows occur in the body of cows during the transistor period (Ferreira et al, 2021;Perry et al, 2021).…”

Mineral supplementation (injectable) improved reproductive performance in Holstein cows managed in a warm summer environment

“…Heat stress is considered as a major factor impairing uterine environment and embryo development that may lead to an embryonic loss (De Rensis et al., 2021). However, even in these circumstances, the embryo utilizes minerals secreted by the uterine histotroph, which are essential for its growth and development (Perry et al., 2021). These results may help to explain the favourable effect of minerals supplemented in our study to reduce early pregnancy losses, which consequently improved conception rates.…”

“…Heat stress is considered as a major factor impairing uterine environment and embryo development that may lead to an embryonic loss (De Rensis et al, 2021). However, even in these circumstances, the embryo utilizes minerals secreted by the uterine histotroph, which are essential for its growth and development (Perry et al, 2021).…”

Effect of zinc sources and experimental conditions on zinc balance in growing wethers

“…The difference in metabolism between the inorganic hydroxy sources and the amino acid complex sources of trace minerals may lead to differences in performance of animals. For example, in a study by Perry et al (2021) , providing amino acids-complexed trace minerals (Cu, Mn, and Zn) to beef heifers tended to increase circulating pregnancy-associated glycoproteins on day 25 of post insemination and tended to improve embryo survival compared with inorganic trace minerals (hydroxychloride). In a study by Kerwin et al (2021a , 2021b ), feeding amino acid-complexed trace minerals (Zn, Mn, and Cu) to transitioning cows (−60 d before calving to 22 wk of lactation) increased milk yield until week 8 of lactation and average daily grain of calves and improved health status compared with hydroxychloride of trace minerals.…”