Vitamins & Minerals Functions in livestock feeding

Related Vocabularies Nutrients:chemical substances in food that are used by the body to produce energy and tissues. Vitamins: essential organic nutrients, required in small amounts, that cannot be synthesized by the body. Required for growth, maintenance, reproduction and lactation. Vitamin deficiency: decline in health due to the lack of a vitamin in a ration.

Related Vocabularies Fat soluble vitamin: a vitamin that can be stored and accumulated in the liver and other fatty tissues. Water soluble vitamin: a vitamin that cannot be stored in the tissues. Must be provided regularly as deficiencies can develop in a short time. Minerals: essential inorganic compounds, required in small amounts. Required for growth, maintenance, reproduction and lactation. Macrominerals: required in large amounts. Micromineralsrequired in small amounts.

Vitamins Vitamins are essential organic nutrients, required in small amounts. They cannot be synthesized by the body. Must be obtained by outside sources like diet, rumen bacteria & sun. Required for growth, maintenance, reproduction and lactation.

Classes of Vitamins Fat Soluble Vitamins: stored in tissues Examples A D E K Water Soluble Vitamins: not stored in tissues, must have constant supply Examples B, B1, B2, B6 & B12 Niacin Folic Acid C

Vitamin A The product of the conversion in the animal’s body of carotene which is found in feeds. True vitamin A is not found in feeds. Because vitamin A is converted from carotene, the carotene is regarded as a precursor of vitamin A. Beta-carotene is the standard used. Function, Deficiency Signs & Sources

Vitamin A Different animal species covert carotene to vitamin A at different rates. When the feed source supplied enough carotene, the animal can usually meet its requirements for vitamin A from the diet.

Vit A Functions Normal maintenance of the eyes, membrane tissue, respiratory, digestive, reproductive, nerve, and bone growth.

Vit A Deficiency Night blindness is a symptom of severe vitamin A. Animals may become permanently blind because of a vitamin A deficiency. Eye infections and constriction in the optic nerves can be less severe symptoms. Excessive watering of eyes. Cornea ulcerations are indications of possible vit A deficiency.

Vitamin A Deficiency Keratinization of the epithelial tissue, which causes lowered resistance to infections is common with vitamin A deficiency. Diarrhea, reduced appetite, poor growth and weight loss are also indicators of vit. A deficiency. Reproductive problems, poor conception, reduced fertility in males, shortened gestation, retained placenta and still born can also be indicators.

Vitamin A Sources Carotene is found in good quality, fresh, green forages in amounts generally sufficient to supply the needs of livestock. Green, leafy hays that have been in storage less than one year, legume hays, good qulity grass or legume silages. Dried sun-cured forages contain less carotene. Bleached, low quality forages have little carotene content.

Vitamin A Sources Carotene content of forages in storage is reduced by exposure to the sun and air, high temperature and long storage times reduce content. Mixing the feeds with oxidizing agents such as some minerals or organic acids will also reduce content.

Vitamin A storage Stored in the liver and fatty tissues of the body. The animal can use this stored vitamin A during periods of feeding when the diet is deficient in carotene. A horse can go for 3-6 months when Vit A is deficient, sheep 200 days.

Vitamin A Ration Considerations May need to supplement when: Poor quality or low levels of forage are available. Limited amounts of colostrum. Fed primarily corn silage and low carotene concentrates. Grazing during drought, rations of cereal grains.

Vitamin A Ration Considerations Vitamin A, in a stabilized form that is resistant to oxidation may be added to the ration through vitamin premixes. Intramuscular injections of vitamin A may be used. Stress conditions such as low temperature or exposure to infectious bacteria will increase the vit A requirements.

Excess Vit A in Diet Feeding excessive amount of vit A to horse over along period of time may result in fragile bones, thickening of bony tissue, flaking off of the epithelium.

Vitamin D Important for calcium absorption, Ca and P metabolism. Fat soluble, stored in the body. Less critical in mature versus younger animals. Most important in animals in the third trimester of pregnancy.

Vitamin D Forms Plant forms of vitamin D is ergocalciferol. Animal forms of vitamin D is cholecalciferol. The liver converts cholecalciferol to 25- hydroxy D3, which is the main form in which the vitamin circulates in the body.

Vitamin D Deficiency Development of rickets, because of reduced Ca and P absorption. Indicators are decreased appetite, slower growth, digestive disturbances, stiffness in gait, labored or fast breathing, irritability weakness and sometimes the development of tetany. Symptoms develop more quickly in younger animals.

Vitamin D Deficiency Pregnant animals may give virth to dead, weak or deformed young as a result of a vitamin D deficiency.

Fig 1. Flared costochondral junction, rachitic rosary, with irregular and elongated growth cartilage (arrows). Fig 2. Multiple distal rib fractures with callus formation (arrows).

Vitamin D Sources Diets that include sun-cured forages generally provide sufficient vitamin D. Animals regularly exposed to sunlight or ultrviolet light also will not develop symptoms of vitamin D deficiency. Green forages, barn cured hay and silages have some vitamin D. Grains and grain by products have practically no vitamin D.

Vitamin D Sources Vitamin D is more stable than vitamin A, does oxidize, has poor stability when mixed with minerals, especially calcium carbonate. Rations with adequate levels of Ca and P will require less vitamin D.

Vitamin E Functions as an antioxidant, which helps in the abosorption of storage of vitamin A Vitamin E deficiency results in symptoms similar to selenium, whitemuscle, muscular dystrophy. Deficiency signs: poor growth, "crazy chick" disease, Muscular Dystrophy, "white muscle" disease in ruminants and swine and "stiff lamb" disease (affects the nerves and muscles).

Vit E deficiency: Haemorrhage in the small intestine, between two dark coloured ceca. These sheep had multifocal health problems including caseous lymphadenitis, copper and vitamin E deficiency and severe Sarcocystis spp. infestation.

Vitamin E Sources: synthetic for poultry and swine, cereal grains and wheat germ oil, green forages, protein concentrates, oil seeds (peanut and soybean oil). Vitamin E rapidly destroyed in rancid or spoiled fats. That is why these may cause white muscle disease. Utilization of Vitamin E is dependent on adequate selenium.

Vitamin K Necessary for the formation of prothrombin, (material needed to maintain normal blood coagulation). Feeding moldy feeds may cause vitamin K deficiency leading to a bleeding syndrome. Deficiencies of vitamin K rarely occur because it is synthesized in the rumen. Deficiency signs: blood loses its power to clot or the time needed for clotting is longer and serious hemorrhages can result from slight wounds or bruises. Green leafy feeds, soybeans, fat soluble, solvent process soybean meal are good sources.

Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) Function: has an effect on the metabolism of calcium in the body (Not required in rations of farm animals.). Deficiency signs: none demonstrated in livestock. Human deficiency: scurvy (swollen and painful joints and bleeding gums) and brittleness of bones. Sources: citrus fruits, tomatoes, leafy vegetables and potatoes.

Vitamin B 1 (Thiamin) Function: required for the normal metabolism of carbohydrates. Deficiency signs: loss of appetite, muscular weakness, severe nervous disorders, general weakness and wasting (BeriBeri). Sources: raw, whole grains and especially their seed coats and embryos; fresh green forage; and yeast, milk and rumen synthesis.

Vitamin B 2 (Riboflavin) Function: necessary for normal embryo development, important in the metabolism of amino acids and carbohydrates. Deficiency signs: poor reproduction characterized by small litters and deformed young (cleft palate and club- footedness) curly toe paralysis in chicks, digestive disturbances, general weakness and eye abnormalities. Sources: milk and dairy by-products, yeast, green forages, well cured hay (especially alfalfa), whole grains, wheat bran and synthetic riboflavin rumen synthesis.

Poor posture? Ca & P Childless/ reproductive dysfunction? B 2 & A Bleeding gums & Scurvy? C Lameness? D & E Night blindness? A Blood won’t clot? K

Mineral Facts Essential inorganic nutrients, required in small amounts. As many as 20 minerals may be required! Required for growth, maintenance, reproduction and lactation.

The Macrominerals Calcium Ca Phosphorous P Potassium K Sulfur S Sodium Na Chlorine Cl Magnesium Mg

Calcium (Ca) Function: major component of bones and teeth and essential in blood coagulation, nerve and muscle function and milk and egg production. Deficiency signs: retarded growth, deformed bones in young animals (rickets), and soft shelled eggs and osteoporosis in older animals. Sources: milk, oyster shells and limestone.

Sodium chloride Considered together because of a close biochemical relationship and are provided as common salt (NaCl) Function: required for the formation and retention, concentration and pH of body fluids, such as protoplasm, blood. Important in the formation of digestive juices and functions in nerve and muscle activity. Deficiency signs: poor condition and depressed appetite. Most farm produced feeds are deficient in these two minerals. Sources: salt supplements and injectable products.

Phosphorus (P) Function: essential for the formation of bones, teeth, and body fluids. Required for metabolism, cell respiration and normal reproduction. Deficiency signs: similar to calcium deficiency, lack of appetite, poor reproduction and unthrifty appearance. Sources: dicalcium phosphate, bone meal, and low fluorine phosphates.

Potassium (K) Function: retention and formation of body fluids, pH concentration of body fluid and rumen digestion. Deficiency signs: nonspecific and unlikely under most conditions but may have decreased feed consumption and efficiency. Sources: roughages. Grains are less than roughages.

Manganese (Mn) Function: Fetal development, udder development, milk production and skeleton development. Deficiency signs: Abortions, reduced fertility, deformed young and poor growth. Sources: Most use trace mineralized salt.

The Microminerals Iodine (I) Copper (Cu) Iron (Fe) Selenium (Se) Manganese (Mn) Molybedenum (Mo) Zinc (Zn)

Copper (Cu) Function: should be present in animal tissues for iron to be properly utilized, hemoglobin formation and synthesis of keratin for fair and wool growth. Deficiency signs: poor pigmentation of feathers, stringy wool, sway back lambs, lack of muscle coordination and anemia. Sources: forages and copper salts.

Iron (Fe): Function: essential for the function of every organ and tissue of the body (Hemoglobin). Deficiency signs: seldom occurs in older animals, nutritional anemia, labored breathing and pale eyelids, ears and nose. Sources: forages and copper or trace mineral salts.

Cobalt (Co) Function: required as a nutrient for the microorganisms in ruminants and thereby aids in rumen synthesis of Vitamin B 12. Because swine cannot manufacture B 12 from cobalt, the diets are supplemental with vitamin B 12 instead. Deficiency signs: lack of appetite, loss of weight, rough hair coat, anemia, decreased milk and wool production and death in extreme cases. Sources: legume forages and salt containing cobalt.

Magnesium (Mg) Function: similar to calcium and phosphorus. Deficiency signs: Animals are irritable, their heart beat is irregular and there is severe kidney damage. Sources: mineral supplements and ordinary feeds.