ABSTRACT
This experiment evaluated effects of supplemental s.c. trace-mineral injections on
growth and breeding soundness of bull calves. Weaned bulls (n = 488; initial BW =
308 ± 45 kg, initial age = 203 ± 17 d) of 2 breeds (Angus and Charolais) and originating
from 13 ranches in the Great Plains were transported to a common confinement facility
and assigned randomly to 2 treatments: (1) s.c. injections of trace mineral (TM) containing
15 mg/mL Cu, 5 mg/mL Se, 10 mg/mL Mn, and 60 mg/mL Zn or (2) s.c. injections of physiological
saline (control). Treatments were administered at arrival (d −2 or −1; 1 mL per 45
kg of BW) and on d 90 ± 1 (1 mL per 68 kg of BW). On d 0, bulls were stratified by
treatment, breed, and ranch of origin and assigned randomly to 8 pens in which they
were fed a growing diet for 225 d. The diet was formulated to promote a 1.5-kg ADG
at a DMI of 2.6% of BW and to meet or exceed NRC (2000) requirements for Ca, Co, Cu,
I, Mg, Mn, Na, P, K, Se, and Zn. Initial BW were measured and pretreatment blood plasma
samples were collected on d −2 or −1. Breeding soundness examinations (BSE) were conducted
and BW were measured at 10 and 12 mo of age (d 90 ± 1 and d 150 ± 1, respectively).
Scrotal circumference was measured and semen samples were collected via electro-ejaculation.
Motility and morphology of sperm were evaluated via light microscopy. Scrotal circumference,
BW, and ADG did not differ (P ≥ 0.16) between treatments at any time. Proportions of control- and TM-treated bulls
achieving minimal satisfactory BSE classifications did not differ at 10 mo of age
(P = 0.98; 50 ± 3.8% for both TM and control) or at 12 mo of age (P = 0.43; 89 and 86 ± 2.2% for TM and control, respectively). Conversely, improved
(P = 0.05) sperm motility was detected in TM-treated bulls compared with control-treated
bulls at 12 mo of age; moreover, TM-treated bulls had greater (P ≤ 0.05) improvements in sperm morphology and motility between 10 and 12 mo of age
than control-treated bulls. Among bulls that failed BSE at 10 mo of age, more TM-treated
bulls tended (P = 0.10) to pass BSE at 12 mo of age than control-treated bulls (98 and 94 ± 1.6%
for TM and control, respectively). Under the conditions of this experiment, sperm
motility and morphology at 12 mo of age were improved in bulls treated with injectable
TM at 7 and 10 mo of age compared with bulls treated with saline.
Key words
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
October 2,
2017
Received:
July 27,
2017
Footnotes
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Identification
Copyright
Copyright © 2018, American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists. All rights reserved.
