Supplementing organic-complexed or inorganic Co, Cu, Mn, and Zn to beef cows during gestation: postweaning responses of offspring reared as replacement heifers or feeder cattle

Abstract

One hundred and ninety non-lactating, pregnant beef cows (¾ Bos taurus and ¼ Bos indicus; 138 multiparous and 52 primiparous) were assigned to this experiment at 117 ± 2.2 d of gestation (d 0). Cows were ranked by parity, pregnancy type (artificial insemination = 102, natural service = 88), body weight (BW) and body condition score, and assigned to receive a supplement containing: 1) sulfate sources of Cu, Co, Mn, and Zn (INR; n = 95) or 2) an organic complexed source of Cu, Mn, Co, and Zn (AAC; Availa®4; Zinpro Corporation, Eden Prairie, MN; n = 95). The INR and AAC provided the same daily amount of Cu, Co, Mn, and Zn, based on 7 g of the AAC source. From d 0 to calving, cows were maintained in a single pasture and segregated three times weekly into 1 of 24 individual feeding pens to receive treatments. Calves were weaned on d 367 (200 ± 2 d of age), managed as a single group for a 45-d preconditioning period (d 367 to 412), and transferred to a single oat (Avena sativa L.) pasture on d 412. Heifer calves were moved to an adjacent oat pasture on d 437, where they remained until d 620. Heifer puberty status was verified weekly (d 437 to d 619) based on plasma progesterone concentrations. Steer calves were shipped to a commercial feedlot on d 493, where they were managed as a single group until slaughter (d 724). Plasma cortisol concentration was greater (P = 0.05) in AAC calves at weaning but tended to be less (P = 0.10) on d 370 compared with INR calves. Mean plasma haptoglobin concentration was greater (P = 0.03) in INR vs. AAC calves during preconditioning, and no treatment effects were noted (P = 0.76) for preconditioning average daily gain (ADG). Puberty attainment was hastened in AAC heifers during the experiment (treatment × day; P < 0.01), despite similar (P = 0.39) ADG between treatments from d 412 to 620. Expression of myogenin mRNA in the longissimus muscle was greater (P = 0.05) in INR vs. AAC heifers on d 584. No treatment effects were detected (P ≥ 0.24) for steer ADG from d 412 until slaughter, nor for carcass quality traits. Hepatic mRNA expression of metallothionein 1A was greater (P = 0.02) in INR vs. AAC steers on d 586. In summary, supplementing Co, Cu, Zn, and Mn as organic complexed instead of sulfate sources to beef cows during the last 5 mo of gestation did not improve performance and physiological responses of the steer progeny until slaughter, but hastened puberty attainment in the female progeny reared as replacement heifers.

Supplementing organic-complexed or inorganic Co, Cu, Mn, and Zn to beef cows during gestation: physiological and productive response of cows and their offspring until weaning

“…These outcomes suggest that supplementing AAC instead of INR to gestating beef cows did not yield immediate and longer-term effects in hepatic trace mineral profile and LM expression of adipogenic and muscle development genes, resulting in similar calf growth until weaning. The upregulated hepatic mRNA expression of SOD in calves from AAC may have impacted postweaning responses, which are discussed in the companion manuscript ( Harvey et al, 2021 ).…”

“…The results from this manuscript indicate that supplementing Co, Cu, Zn, and Mn as organic-complexed or sulfate sources to beef cows during the last 5 mo of gestation yielded similar cow–calf productive responses until weaning. The companion manuscript ( Harvey et al, 2021 ) describes the postweaning responses of the female and male offspring reared, respectively, as replacement heifers and feeder cattle.…”

“…This manuscript describes prepartum and postpartum responses of cows as well as offspring responses from birth through weaning. A companion manuscript ( Harvey et al, 2021 ) describes the postweaning responses of the male and female offspring reared, respectively, as feedlot steers or replacement heifers.…”

Effects of Maternal Nutrition on Female Offspring Weight Gain and Sexual Development

“…Weight is the most important factor for puberty onset, since puberty is achieved when the animal is between 55% and 60% of its mature body weight, regardless of the breed ( Freetly et al, 2011 ). Studies on fetal programming show the effects of supplementation during pregnancy on puberty age in heifers ( Guzmán et al, 2006 ; Funston et al, 2010b ; Harvey et al, 2021 ). Other investigations show no effects ( Cushman et al, 2014 ; Gunn et al, 2015 ; Nepomuceno et al, 2017 ), corroborating the lack of difference between treatments.…”

Galyean Appreciation Club Review: revisiting nutrition and health of newly received cattle—what have we learned in the last 15 years?

“…In a recent follow-up study, Harvey et al (2021) fed either inorganic or organic sources of Co, Cu, Mn, and Zn at the same level as used in the Marques et al (2016) study, but supplementation of cows was started earlier in pregnancy (day 117 vs. the start of the third trimester), but a non-supplemented control was not included in the study. Weaned calves were preconditioned for 45 d, after which heifer calves were managed to assess puberty status, whereas steer calves were backgrounded on pasture for 56 d and then sent to a commercial feedlot for finishing.…”