Placental Transfer of Manganese in Swine

Sows maintained on rations of natural food-stuffs containing 6 and 100 ppm. manganese produced fetuses of essentially the same weight. The concentration of manganese in the maternal serum was related to the level in the ration. Furthermore, on the 60th, 80th and 110th day of gestation the concentration of manganese was significantly higher in the fetuses from sows on the higher level of dietary manganese. Radiomanganese was transferred in detectable amounts to the 110-day pig fetus during a three-hour period.