Browsing by Author "Geary, Thomas W."

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    Maternal Injectable Mineral Administration Effects on Calf Growth and Reproductive Parameters
    Brenner, Makayla A.; Marques, Rodrigo S.; Posbergh, Christian J.; Zezeski, Abigail L.; Geary, Thomas W.; McCoski, Sarah R. (MDPI, 2025-01-24)
    Limited trace mineral research has focused on the impacts of maternal trace mineral supplementation on offspring fertility. We hypothesized that maternal injectable mineral (INJ) administration during mid/late gestation would improve overall growth and reproductive parameters in offspring. Two-hundred and seventy-eight cows were enrolled in the study and blocked by body weight, parity, and day (d) of gestation, and randomly assigned to a treatment group: a group (MM, n = 138) that received a single INJ (Cu = 15 mg/mL, Mn = 10 mg/mL, Se = 5 mg/mL, and Zn = 60 mg/mL; Axiota, Ft. Collins, CO, USA) or control group (CON, n = 138), which did not. Following calving, adjusted birth weight and weaning weights were recorded. A subset of bulls was developed until one year of age (CON, n = 18; MM, n = 14) when two semen ejaculates were collected for sperm quality. Mineral injection calves were heavier at birth than CON (p = 0.05). A treatment by parity interaction was observed for an increase in progressive motility in MM bulls than CON (p = 0.10). Injectable mineral administration to the pregnant multiparous cow improved sperm progressive motility in bulls, but no improvements were observed when assessed via flow cytometry.