Manganese and iron interrelationship in the chick

Poult Sci. 1991 Jan;70(1):146-52. doi: 10.3382/ps.0700146.

Abstract

Experiments were conducted to investigate the Mn-Fe interrelationship in the chick. Graded levels of Fe and two levels of Mn were added to a corn-soybean meal diet (157 mg Mn/kg; 372 mg Fe/kg) and to an Fe-deficient casein-dextrose diet containing 15.4 mg Mn/kg and 5.0 mg Fe/kg. Dietary Fe had little effect on the Mn status of the chick, regardless of the level of Fe supplementation. Conversely, Mn supplemented at 1,000 mg/kg reduced blood hemoglobin concentration, but only when the dietary Fe level was at or below the chick's requirement. Levels of supplemental Fe up to 2,500 mg/kg had no effect on performance of chicks fed the corn-soybean diet, but a supplemental level of 5,000 mg Fe/kg diet reduced both weight gain and bone ash concentration. These data suggest that the interaction between Mn and Fe in the chick is a unidirectional phenomenon, in which excess Mn impairs Fe utilization but excess Fe does not antagonize Mn.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chickens / growth & development
  • Chickens / metabolism*
  • Iron / administration & dosage
  • Iron / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Manganese / administration & dosage
  • Manganese / metabolism*
  • Weight Gain

Substances

  • Manganese
  • Iron