Mineral Metabolism Studies in Dairy Cattle

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Abstract
A study was made of the effects of calcium and manganese and other mineral element supplementation upon the metabolism of calcium and phosphorus during the first 5 months of lactation of 8 Holstein and 4 Guernsey cows. Calcium equilibrium was maintained most frequently in the group of cows receiving Mico5 as the supplement to a basal ration of grain, corn silage and timothy-clover hay, and seemed to be attributable to the additional intakes of iodine, magnesium, copper, cobalt, zinc and iron supplied by this product. Supplementation of the same basal ration with MnSO4 in addition to CaCO3 resulted in negative calcium balances in every case, whereas several positive balances occurred and higher percentages of calcium were used when the basal ration was supplemented with CaCO3 alone. The marked depression of calcium metabolism appeared to be effected by MnSO4 supplementation. Phosphorus metabolism was not appreciably affected by the supplements used in this experiment.