The Vitamins in Animal Nutrition

Animal Nutrition
 Definition of Vitamins:
 Vitamins are a group of organic compounds that
animals only require in small quantities, but they are
essential for normal body functions, growth, and
reproduction.

 Vitamins also regulate body processes, help the

body resist disease, and improve health in general.
 In modern sense, vitamins are the substances distinct
from major components of food required in minute
quantities and whose absence causes specific deficiency
disease.
 Plant can synthesize all the vitamins, which they require
as a component of various enzyme systems.
 Vitamins are organic substances required by animals in
very small amounts for regulating various body
processes toward normal health, growth, production
and reproduction.
 Their principle role is body regulation rather

than the development of the structural

components of the body.

 A deficiency of one or more vitamins can lead

to a number of diseases or syndromes.

 There are at least 15 vitamins, which has been

accepted as essential food factors and few

others have been proposed.

 The vitamins are divided into two main groups:

 The water-soluble

And the fat-soluble

Important vitamins in animal nutrition:

Fat soluble vitamins Water soluble vitamins

Vitamin A1
vitamin C
Vitamin A2 Vitamin B1
Vitamin D2 Vitamin B2
Vitamin D3
Niacin
Vitamin E Vitamin B6
Vitamin K1 Vitamin B12
Vitamin K2

Vitamin K3
 Functions of vitamins:
1. Vitamins are essential for the good health and play
important role in the body growth.
2. Vitamin provides resistance against diseases and
increases the productivity power of animals.
3. Vitamins are essential constituents of certain enzyme
systems, regulate body metabolism and clotting of blood.
4. Vitamins are needed during pregnancy for the
development of fetus.
Vitamin A

Function:
development healthy skin and nerve tissue.

Aids in building up resistance to infection,

Functions in eyesight and bone formation.

ALL ANIMALS require a source of Vitamin A,

specially it is important in the ration of pregnant

Factors influencing Vitamin A requirement:

Following factors affect vitamin A requirements:

1. Genetic differences

2. Variation in level, type of Vitamin A in feedstuff.

3. Presence of adequate bile in small intestine.

 Bile or gall is a dark green to yellowish brown fluid,
produced by the liver of most vertebrates, that aids
the digestion of lipids in the small intestine
 Deficiency signs:
– Retarded growth in the young,

– Night blindness,
– Watery eyes,

– Infertility

– And abortion:

– And reproductive disorders.

o Poultry: Retarded growth, weakness, ruffled

plumage are noticed in vitamin A deficiency.

o In mature birds egg production and hatchability

are reduced.
 Sources:

vitamin A is found in carrot, yellow maize

and green plants specially legume forages

 Liver, kidney, buttermilk, and egg yolk are
also rich in vitamin A.
Vitamin E
Function:
vitamin E is considered important to fertility in
association with selenium ( cows) and muscle
development (calves)
Deficiency signs:
The vitamin E deficiency symptoms in farm animals are
muscle degeneration.
The animals are unable to rise and weakness of the neck
muscles prevents them from raising their heads, also
known as white muscle disease.
Deficiency signs:
 Sources:
• Sources: Vitamin E is widely distributed in foods.

Green fodder is good sources of Vitamin E.

• Cereal grains are also good sources.

• Animal products are relatively poor sources of the

vitamin.
Vitamin D
Function:

1. Vitamin D plays an important role for the

absorption of calcium and phosphorus from
gastrointestinal tract,
2. It helps in the re-absorption of phosphorus from
the kidney tubules.
3. Addition of vitamin D reduces oxidation of citric
acid and a high Citric acid concentration is found in
kidney, bone and blood but not in liver.
Deficiency signs:
– Retarded growth, misshapen bones (Rickets),

– weakness.

Sources: sunlight, hay, forage crops, fish liver oils,

Molasses, Corn silage, Whole milk.
Vitamin K

Function: necessary for the maintenance of normal

blood coagulation.
Deficiency signs: The symptom of vitamin K
deficiency in chicks is a delayed clotting time of the
blood;
birds are easily injured and may bleed to death.
Chicks show anemia, which in part may be due to
loss of blood .
 Sources:

 Green and leafy fodder, Cabbage, soybean,

Barley, corn, sorghum, grains, liver, fish meal and

egg yolks are good source of vitamin K.

Vitamin C
Function:

Vitamin C is essential for collagen formation.

Deficiency signs:

deficiency of vitamin C is called scurvy.

Scurvy is a disease resulting from a lack of vitamin C ,

Early symptoms include weakness, anemia, gum

disease, and skin problems.

 Sources:

• Sources: leafy vegetables , lemon, tomatoes,

green vegetables, milk, body tissues are good
sources.
• Dry roughages and concentrates are deficient in
vitamin C..
Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)

Function:
required for the normal metabolism of carbohydrates.

Deficiency signs:

loss of appetite, muscular weakness, severe nervous

disorders, general weakness and wasting (Beriberi).

Beriberi is a disease caused by a vitamin B-1 deficiency,

also known as thiamine deficiency.

 Sources:

 Green grasses, cereal grains are rich sources of

this vitamin.
 liver, fish meal and egg yolks are also good
source of vitamin B1.
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
Function:
Vitamin B2, also known as riboflavin, plays a very
important role in the metabolism of animals. 
It is necessary for digestion, and helps converts
fats, proteins, and carbohydrates into energy.
Vitamin B2 is a key part of tissue repair,
particularly in the eyes, mouth, and nervous system.
 Deficiency signs:
 A vitamin B2 deficiency is most likely to occur in swine

and poultry.

 If this happens, the diet is unbalanced, and a better source

of riboflavin should be provided.

 In breeding hen causes poor hatchability, general weakness

poor growth and eye abnormalities.

 Sources:

 Green forages, well cured hay (especially alfalfa),

whole grains, wheat bran and roughages are good

source of this vitamin . as well as Milk and dairy by-

products
Factors affecting the nutrient requirements of
Animals.
 Genetics 
 Age 
 Sex 
 Reproductive state
 Environmental
 Housing system
 Health status 
 Production aims