Effects of injectable trace mineral supplementation on embryo development and quality in superovulated dairy heifers

Supplementation of trace minerals is often used to combat the malabsorption of microminerals due to antagonists in feed and water. Multimin90^TM, a supplement containing copper, zinc, manganese, and selenium, has been shown to have a positive impact on reproductive efficiency and pregnancy rates. The objective of this study was to determine how the supplementation of MultiMin90^TM impacts embryo quality. Seventeen dairy heifers from the Iowa State University Dairy Teaching Farm were randomly assigned to receive a saline control (CON) or Multimin90^TM (MM). All heifers were then put on an industry standard ovarian superovulation protocol, with embryos recovered on day 7 after artificial insemination. Embryos were graded for quality and developmental stage, and data were analyzed using SAS. On average, the proportion of nonfertilized embryos tended to be greater in CON heifers (P=0.15), and the average proportion of Stage 4 (P=0.11) and Stage 5 (P=0.11) embryos tended to be greater in MM heifers. No differences were noted in total embryos recovered as a result of total treatment (P=0.51). Though there was not a significant trend towards increased embryo quality, MM did indicate a biologically relevant trend towards less nonfertilized embryos and more total embryos produced while treated with Multimin90^TM.