The Relationship between mineral nutrition of the beef cow and reproductive performance

Abstract

Maintaining fertility in beef cattle requires adequate dietary intake and absorption of essential minerals. The minerals are necessary for normal function of various enzyme systems. Feeding a diet deficient in a single mineral can negatively affect reproduction in beef cows and bulls. The influence of an iodine, copper, zinc or manganese deficiency on fertility is summarized in Table 5. When evaluating cattle diets for the different stages of production, levels and interactions of minerals should be considered. If a deficiency is evident, then supplementing to meet the animal's requirement could have a positive impact on reproduction and profitability for the beef cattle producer.