VITAMINS & MINERALS ▶▶▶


Trace mineral sources and their impact on vitamin stability


Stability of both trace minerals and vitamins is an important consideration that can affect degradation and nutrient profiles in feed, directly impacting feed quality and nutritional value.


LAURENTIA VAN RENSBURG, TECHNICAL MINERAL MANAGER, ALLTECH T Unit/kg A


D3 E K


Thiamin Riboflavin


Pyridoxine Biotin


Folic Acid


IU IU IU


mg mg mg


Pantothenic Acid mg Niacin


mg mg mg mg


race minerals and vitamins are often combined in the premix, where the opportunity for negative in- teractions is high but often underestimated. Trace minerals from inorganic sources, especially sul-


phates, are considered catalysts for free radical formation, and through reduction and oxidation reactions, the inclusion of these trace minerals within the vitamin premix can lead to rapid degradation of vitamins. Trace minerals vary in terms of their redox potential, with copper, iron and zinc being more reactive. Vitamins also vary in their susceptibility to these reactions. Several studies show both fat and water-sol- uble vitamins being prone to degradation when they are in


contact with inorganic trace mineral sources. The ability of vitamins to retain activity under any of the previously men- tioned stressors is referred to as ‘stability’. Research shows that as much as 55% of vitamin B6 activity was lost when in- cluded in a vitamin premix containing inorganic trace miner- als compared to a 24% loss in a vitamin premix containing no added trace minerals. Similarly, the stability of vitamin A, D3, E, K3, Thiamin, B12, Folic acid and Biotin were also affected when stored in combination with inorganic trace minerals.


Substitution of inorganic trace minerals Since separating vitamins and trace minerals for the purpose of shipping, handling, storage and feed processing are not al- ways feasible, there is a tendency to add a margin of safety or basically to over-formulate vitamins. This approach, even though inefficient, is doable when vitamin prices are favora- ble but can be costly when the price fluctuates and certain vi- tamins are in short supply. One solution is to substitute inor- ganic trace minerals within the premix with the organic form.


Table 1: Effects of different mineral premixes on the storage stability of vitamins in broiler diet premixes


Effects of different mineral premixes on the storage stability of vitamins in broiler diet premixes1 Vitamin


Calculated activity at day 0 594000 165000 1980 118,8 118,8 396 660


2640 237,6 6,6


79,2


Analysed activity of MV1 after storage2 23300 43800 8,91 3,21 27,1 283 659


2490 112 6,42 18,7


1the vitamin mineral premix was analysed after animal trial. The total storage time is 150 days. 2 16 ▶ ALL ABOUT FEED | Volume 29, No. 2, 2021


%MV1 Activity of day 0 3,92


26,55 0,45 2,7


22,81 71,46 99,85 94,32 47,14 97,27 23,61


Analysed activity of MV2 after storage3 225000 86900 10,1 52,5 114 436 675


2720 176 7,99 56,2


MV1: vitamins with inorganic mineral premix. 3


% MV2 Activity of day 0 37,88 52,67 0,51


44,19 95,96 110,1


102,27 103,03 74,07


121,06 70,96


MV2: vitamins with organic mineral premix .


% MV1 Activity of MV2 after storage 10,36 50,4


88,22 6,11


23,77 64,91 97,63 91,54 63,64 80,35 33,27


PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK


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