Rumen Solubility of Copper, Manganese and Zinc and the Potential Link between the Source and Rumen Function: A Systematic Review
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments and Suggestions for Authors
I am doubt this manuscript meets the standard criteria for publication in a highly reputable journal for the following reasons:
1. Trace minerals (TM) are mentioned in the title. However, there are only 3 TM (Cu, Mn, Zn) studied.
2. There are several methods in assessing the solubility of TM in the gut of ruminants for in vitro, in sacco, and in vivo. The study did not explain details of the protocol for TM solubility measurements neither in vivo, in sacco, or in vivo. How do we measure TM solubility in vivo where we don't have access to collect rumen fluid as we do it in the in sacco study using fistulated ruminants?
3. The measurement protocols of TM solubility measurements both in the in vitro and in vivo methods in the Table 1, Table 2, and Table 3 are not shown. As we know that TM solubility is sensitively affected by many factors.
4. Table 4, Tabel 5, and Table 6 do not inform sufficient data. The data were collected only from the in vitro studies. The are many missing data (ND).
5. There is no informative illustration in the form of pictures or diagrams.
6. Mode of actions of beneficial or potential antagonistic effects of each TM in the gut system of ruminants studied in the manuscript are not explained clearly.
7. It's more appropriate if the paper can be in the form of a systematic review with more quantitative data to be studied.
Author Response
Please see the attachment
Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
Comments and Suggestions for Authors
Antal et al., reviewed the effects of trace minerals on rumen function.
Based on the content, the title needs to be revised. The current title is too broad. First, you did not review all trace minerals. Second, please specify the effect of trace mineral deficiency on what (e.g., growth rate, reproduction...). Third, change "rumen interaction" to "rumen function".
It is good to summarize the effect of individual trace mineral on milk production, growth rate and reproduction separately.
It will be nice to show what kind of animals (e.g., dairy cows, beef cattle or goats) were used in the table when you make a summary.
Limitations should be mentioned in the research related trace minerals.
In practice, can trace minerals addition affect food intake which further affect rumen function rather than the trace mineral itself regulates function? How is the interaction between mineral and mineral? Something needs to be discussed.
Author Response
please see the attachment
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 3 Report
Comments and Suggestions for Authors
Manuscript ID: agriculture-2481221
Ruminant Trace Minerals Deficiency and the Potential Link Between the Source and Rumen Interaction. A Review
Remarks
Dear authors,
I have evaluated your manuscript, which in my opinion is very interesting and well-constructed. I ask you, as a single recommendation, to introduce a methodological section in which you describe the ways in which the bibliographic research was carried out and the criteria with which the choice and relative inclusion in the manuscript were made. I advise you to use the PRISMA guidelines (https://www.equator-network.org/reporting-guidelines/prisma/) to achieve this integration. For an example of how to structure the paragraph you can, among others, consult the following manuscript https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2021.104748.
On the other hand, I think it might be interesting to mention in the text not only the effects of trace element deficiencies but also of excesses if the literature in this sense is available. For example, excess copper can be toxic to buffalo.
I wish you good work. Regards
Author Response
please see the attachment
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Round 2
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments and Suggestions for Authors
I am happy with the authors' revision
Author Response
Dear reviewer,
Thank you for your comments and suggestions, they were of great help in improving this review article.
Reviewer 3 Report
Comments and Suggestions for Authors
Dear Authors,
I have had the opportunity to review the revised version of manuscript
agriculture-2481221. I congratulate you on the massive revision effort.
Except for one minor detail listed below, I have no further requests.
- Please adapt the references on line 45 to the style of the journal and change the order of citations in the text and bibliography accordingly.
Author Response
Dear Reviewer,
Thank you for your comments and suggestions that greatly helped improve this review article.
The references on line 45 were adapted as requested.
Best regards
