What question did this study set out to answer?

The aim is to determine the effects of gestational vitamin and mineral supplementation on nutrient digestibility and metabolic balance in beef heifers across generations.

July 3, 2026

Gestational Vitamin and Mineral Supplementation in F0 Beef Heifers: Impacts on F1 Heifer Nutrient Digestibility, Metabolic Balance, and F1 Dam and F2 Fetus Development

Key Points

The aim is to determine the effects of gestational vitamin and mineral supplementation on nutrient digestibility and metabolic balance in beef heifers across generations.
Angus-based heifers (F0; n=72) were randomly assigned to receive either a basal diet or a supplemented diet during gestation.
Nutrient digestibility and energy metabolism were measured via calorimetry and blood samples were analyzed for hormones and metabolites.
Data analyzed using SAS MIXED procedure with repeated measures, accounting for treatment and gestation effects.
F1 heifers on supplementation had higher circulating insulin but lower glucose as gestation progressed (P < 0.01).
No significant differences in nutrient digestibility between treatment groups (P ≥ 0.21); however, nutrient use efficiency decreased with advancing gestation (P ≤ 0.03).
F2 fetuses from supplemented heifers had higher blood glucose concentrations (P = 0.01) and differences in organ weights were minimal.

Abstract

Angus-based heifers (F0; n = 72; 14 to 15 mo; initial body weight BW = 380.4 ± 50.56 kg) were ranked by BW, bred via artificial insemination (AI) with female-sexed semen, and assigned to receive a basal diet (CON; n = 36) or the basal diet plus a vitamin and mineral supplement (VTM; n = 36) with the total mixed ration. Treatments were applied from breeding through calving, after which cow-calf pairs (n = 14 CON; n = 17 VTM) received a common diet. A subset of F1 heifers (n = 7 CON; n = 9 VTM) were bred via AI with female-sexed semen and evaluated from breeding through d 250 of gestation when pregnant heifers were slaughtered. Nutrient balance and energy metabolism were measured each trimester via apparent total tract digestibility and indirect calorimetry. Blood samples were collected each trimester and at harvest for hormone/metabolite analysis. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS with repeated measures where appropriate, with treatment, time, and interaction included as fixed effects and animal as the experimental unit. In F1 heifers, digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, and N was not influenced by treatment (P ≥ 0.21) but decreased (P ≤ 0.03) as gestation advanced. Fecal energy (FE) losses, heat production (HP) as a percentage of gross energy intake, and retained energy (RE) were not affected by treatment (P ≥ 0.52); however, FE and HP increased (P ≤ 0.03) while RE decreased (P = 0.01) with advancing gestation. Circulating insulin concentration was greater (P < 0.01) in VTM heifers, whereas glucose decreased (P < 0.01) and non-esterified fatty acids and blood urea nitrogen increased (P ≤ 0.01) as gestation progressed. Body weight was greater (P < 0.01) in VTM heifers and at slaughter, VTM heifers tended (P ≤ 0.10) to have heavier carcasses and greater ribeye area than CON. The F1 CON heifers had heavier spleens relative to BW (P = 0.04) whereas other organs did not differ (P ≥ 0.17). In F2 fetuses, CON tended to have heavier reproductive tracts and spleens (P ≤ 0.10) with no other differences in organ weights (P ≥ 0.13), whereas VTM fetuses had greater (P = 0.01) blood glucose concentration. These results indicate that prenatal micronutrient supplementation programs growth and metabolic function across generations, with minimal effects on organ mass. Advancing gestation reduced efficiency of energy and nitrogen use, reflecting nutrient partitioning shifts supporting fetal growth.

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