Effect of high dietary Mn levels on the growth rate and the level of mineral elements in the plasma and soft tissues of sheep

Abstract

Sixty grazing Romney Marsh sheep (30 ewes and 30 wethers) were randomly placed in three groups and supplemented with 0, 250, and 500 mg Mn per day to study the effect of high dietary levels of Mn on growth rate and levels of mineral elements in various soft tissues. Increasing the dietary level of Mn significantly depressed the growth rate of the sheep. There was little effect on the mineral element composition of plasma, heart, kidney, and liver, except in the first experiment, where the heart and plasma Fe levels were decreased while the liver Cu and Mn levels and plasma Mn levels were increased.