Effect of Dietary Manganese on Growth and Manganese Metabolism in Sheep

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Abstract
Three groups of 5 wethers were each fed ad lib a practical type diet containing 22, 300 or 3000 ppm of Mn for 8 wk. The wethers then were fistulated and killed 13 h after intraruminal dosing with 54Mn. Several tissues were sampled. Average daily gains and feed/gain ratios of sheep fed diets containing 22 and 300 ppm Mn were similar but gain was lower and the ratio higher for sheep fed the diet containing 3000 ppm Mn than for those fed other diets. Feed intake was approximately the same for all treatments. Increased dietary Mn increased its concentration in soft tissues and bile. There was also a decrease in the uptake and specific activity of 54Mn in the liver with increasing dietary Mn. Concentration of Cu increased and concentration of Zn decreased in liver of sheep with increasing dietary Mn.