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Recent Developments in the Roles of Vitamins and Minerals in Reproduction

Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana 61801

ABSTRACT

Vitamins and minerals affect reproductive function. Vitamin A deficiency has long been known to affect reproductive function in cattle. More recently, a role has been proposed for the vitamin A percursor, ß-carotene, in reproductive efficiency. Dietary supplementation with vitamin E and selenium may reduce the incidence of retained placenta, but these nutrients may also affect reproductive function in other ways. Calcium and phosphorus deficiencies affect reproduction in cattle, and vitamin D may directly affect reproductive function in addition to its role in calcium and phosphorus metabolism. Dietary manipulation of a number of other vitamins and minerals also influences reproductive function. However, the specific roles of nutrients in reproductive tissues are not well-defined in dairy cattle, and nutrient requirements for optimal reproductive efficiency in modern dairy cattle deserve careful reevaluation. This review provides a background of the effect of vitamins and minerals on reproduction and it attempts to provide a basis for further investigation of specific mechanisms by which reproductive function is affected. The interface between nutritional science and reproductive physiology provides considerable potential for optimizing reproductive efficiency in dairy cattle.