Central Kentucky pastures aren’t typically Mn-deficient, so a mature horse at rest or in light work should be able to meet his recommended daily requirements by consuming grass alone. | Photo: iStock

Manganese (Mn) is an essential dietary trace mineral that is also used in industrial processes, such as battery manufacturing. However, long before Mn was known to be useful for these applications, early humans used black/brown colored Mn dioxide as a color pigment. Cave paintings estimated at 30,000 years old are reported to contain Mn and, even prior to these cave paintings, researchers suspect Mn might have been used as a cosmetic product

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