Vitamin A to E Stability in Cattle Feed

Vitamin A to E Stability in Cattle Feed - Does it Matter?

Profitability of cattle production is affected by feed cost and ever-increasing commodity prices, relatively low margins, morbidity and mortality and performance efficiency and necessitates only those feed ingredients in the ration that deliver, no room for error.

Considering the impact of vitamin nutrition on health and performance of cattle, it’s essential to include a stable vitamin formulation in the ration that continuously provides the required and intended vitamin level regardless of supplementation form, physical and chemical characteristics of feed ingredients or ambient and storage conditions.

The high value of breeding stock and feeder calves motivates nutritionists to focus on health optimization to mitigate morbidity and mortality. Vitamins as essential nutrients are recognized for its role in optimizing animal health and the resultant lifetime performance of the animal (NASEM, 2016; NASEM, 2021). Vitamin supplementation through a bioavailable and stable formulation is thus crucial to ensure a consistent supply of vitamins at the targeted and intended level of supplementation.

Which Vitamins Are Supplemented and How?

It is predominantly fat-soluble vitamins A, D and E that are supplemented in cattle diets in agreement with NASEM beef (NASEM, 2016) and dairy recommendations (NASEM, 2021). In dairy rations, the water-soluble vitamins biotin, niacin and choline are also considered by nutritionists. Biotin is supplemented to support hoof health and milk yield (Chen et al., 2011), niacin supports vasodilation during heat stress (Di Costanzo et al., 1997) and choline improves nutrient utilization and milk yield during lactation (Ghaffarie et al., 2024) and health in peri-partum cows (Ardalan et al., 2010; Lima et al., 2012).

In addition to the NASEM recommended vitamins for cattle dsm-firmenich’s optimum vitamin nutrition (OVN) recommendations (aimed at optimizing health and performance) also support supplementing cattle with vitamin D in the form of 25-OH-vitamin D₃ to optimize immune health and growth performance (Calsimiglia et al., 2022). Additionally, beta-carotene is recommended to support reproductive performance in breeding stock and dairy cattle (Madureira et al., 2020; Chorfi, 2010; De Bie et al., 2016) acting as a powerful antioxidant (Chew, 1993).

Selecting the Appropriate Vitamin Formulation for Inclusion in Feed Applications

It is important to consider the route of feed application, chemical and physical characteristics of the feed ingredients, ambient conditions, feed turnover and duration of storage. Selecting the appropriate formulation will ensure vitamin stability is constant over the duration of the storage period and bioavailability remains optimal when fed.

Environmental and storage factors such as temperature, oxygen, humidity and light differ in the agree to which they affect individual vitamin stability. Vitamin A is commonly recognized as the most reactive, least stable form of vitamin commonly supplemented to cattle (Figure 1) and markedly affected by temperature, oxygen and light exposure. Considering the most supplemented vitamins in cattle feed, activity loss is most pronounced for vitamin A, followed by choline, vitamin D, niacin, biotin and then vitamin E (Shurson et al., 1996).

Vitamins thus need to be carefully formulated into specialty blends targeted for a specific application, whether in the dry form for premix or feed or water-soluble forms for specific liquid applications such as milk replacers. Vitamins are formulated to not only stabilize the crystalline and liquid vitamin actives against oxygen, humidity, temperature fluctuations and light exposure, but also ensure safe and efficient handling of the products and ensure optimal bioavailability in the animal’s digestive tract to ensure the vitamin delivers as the nutritionist intended it to.

Product Form, Ligand and Manufacturing Technologies

Dry Product Forms

For supplementation of vitamins A, D and E through premixes, compound feeds and milk replacers (in the case of solutions dispersible in water), dsm-firmenich manufactures a product range where each vitamin is uniquely formulated into a vitamin blend, stabilized appropriately and using the most advanced manufacturing technology to ensure optimal stability in the feed and bioavailability in the animal. These product solutions are suitable for inclusion through micro-dosing machines too. Vitamin A is manufactured using beadlet technology, provided as Rovimix^® A 1000 (formulated as a combination of synthetic esters of retinol vitamin A and propionate and palmitate). Considering the reactivity of vitamin A, it is stabilized with butylated hydroxytoluene prior to dispersion in the beadlet matrix. For use in milk replacers, Rovimix^® A 500 WS, a spray dried product, provides a water-soluble option to supplement vitamin A. Vitamin D₃ (cholecalciferol) is available as Rovimix^®D3-500, stabilized with butylated hydroxytoluene and manufactured using spray drying technology, rendering it dispersible in water. Rovimix^® AD3 1000/200 provides a convenient combination vitamin A and D solution manufactured through beadlet technology. Supplementation of 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ in cattle diets, the circulating form of vitamin D, with proven immune health and growth performance benefits in cattle (Martins et al., 2025) is done through Rovimix^® Hy-D 1.25 %. The 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ is stabilized with butylated hydroxytoluene and sodium ascorbate prior to spray dried. Vitamin E is manufactured as an adsorbate where the active vitamin is adsorbed onto silicic acid, available as the product Rovimix^® E-50 adsorbate (α-tocopherol acetate) to be included in compound feeds and premixes.

Dispersible Liquid Concentrates

dsm-firmenich has been the pioneer in the development of dispersible liquid concentrates (DLC) and set a new benchmark for targeted and precise vitamin delivery in cattle feed applications. These DLC’s are highly concentrated colloidal dispersions of vitamins, mixed with food grade emulsifiers and solvents to provide vitamin formulations with maximum dispersibility and suspension characteristics. Dispersible liquid concentrates are intended for inclusion in liquid feed supplements, specifically formulated to be miscible (forming a homogenous mixture) with thixotropic liquids which are viscous, thick liquids when not stirred or shaken but flow when agitated or stirred (Barnes, 1997), such as molasses-based supplements. Dispersible liquid concentrates are uniquely suited for inclusion through micromachines (ensuring accurate and consistent nutrient delivery) and in free choice liquid supplements or liquid supplements later included into a total mixed ration or complete feed. In the manufacturing of DLC’s, polysorbate is used as a solubilizing and dispersion agent, ensuring uniform distribution of vitamins in the formulation. Propylene glycol lowers the freezing point of the mixture, prevention settling and solidification in cold environments. Propionic acid is also included for its anti-microbial properties.

The unique formulation and manufacturing process used to produce DLC’s ensures a product that is dispersible, stays in suspension (with no separation at temperatures between 110 to 120º F), does not gel at low temperatures remain liquid at 1-3º F), are highly bioavailable, free flowing, water dispersible, emulsifiable, miscible with thick, viscous liquids such as molasses and suited for use in micromachines, free choice liquid feeds and concentrated liquid supplements.

Vitamin A, D and E are available either as a standalone Rovimix^® DLC or in combination (also custom blends on request) and 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ is available as a standalone formulation, HyD^® Solution. Within the DLC vitamin A is provided as a highly concentrated, bioavailable vitamin A propionate and palmitate combination, vitamin D₃ as a high potency cholecalciferol and vitamin E as dl-α-tocopheryl acetate, stable and highly concentrated.

The effectiveness of dispersible liquid concentrates are equal to or in some cases even exceeds that of dry vitamin formulations in terms of stability in feed applications and bioavailability in the animal. In comparing the effectiveness of DLC’s compared to dry vitamin formulations in lambs, the bioavailability of vitamin A in the DLC formulation proved superior with serum retinol levels (indication of vitamin A status in animal) analyzing at 319 ng/ml compared to 289 ng/ml when fed (Johnson, 2002).

Stability Data

Within premixes stability is affected by the presence of corrosive ingredients such as choline chloride (hygroscopic, absorbing ambient moisture) and inorganic trace minerals (facilitating reducing and oxidation reactions) which decrease vitamin stability. Including organic sources of trace minerals in a premix as opposed to inorganic sources reduce the loss of vitamin activity during storage by up to 50% (Shurson et al., 2011). Light exposure of premixes, temperature (high temperature in the case of dry vitamin formulations or very low temperatures when in liquid form), moisture and pH all impact vitamin stability within the premix or feed supplement. Considering the reactive nature of vitamin A, retinol is deemed the best indicator of vitamin stability within a premix during storage (Shurson et al., 2011).

Vitamin A (Rovimix^® A) within an aggressive premix containing 15% choline chloride (highly corrosive) proved stable and superior to competitor products with 86% vitamin A retention after 1 month of storage and 75% retention after 3 months of storage, 32% and 54% higher retention compared to competitor products at 1- and 3-months storage respectively (Figure 2). Vitamin A stability (Rovimix^® A) within feed pelletized at 90º C for 35 seconds averaging 100% retention (Figure 3).

Vitamin E (Rovimix^® E-50 adsorbate) proved stable with 92% and 69% retention in an aggressive ruminant premix containing either 30% salt and 4% magnesium oxide or 20% salt and 42% magnesium oxide respectively (Figure 4).

During pelleting, 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ (Rovimix^® Hy-D 1,25 %) proved stable at temperatures up to 194º F at 95% and 85% when pelleted at 158 and 194 ºF respectively (dsm-internal stability trial). Within a liquid, molasses based feed suspension with an adjusted lower pH level, Rovimix^® Hy-D 1,25 % stability neared 100% at 4 months after storage (internal dsm-firmenich evaluation), (Figure 5).

Dispersible liquid concentrates are more stable with longer shelf-life periods compared to dry vitamin formulations and show good stability at pH levels of 3 or higher and when included with urea, phosphorus and mineral salts. Vitamins A, D and E in dispersible liquid concentrate formulations maintains potency over extended storage periods with a storage period of 12 months recommended for DLC’s containing vitamin A and up to 24 months for those without. Vitamin E within DLC formulations has minimal degradation when stored at 77 and 98.6 º F for 18 weeks (dsm-internal stability trial). Vitamins in DLC formulations are stabilized with ethoxyquin as opposed to butyrate toluene in dry formulations, offering better stability and protection against oxidation and degradation, even in the presence of varying pH levels and extreme temperature fluctuations. Dispersible liquid concentrated are equal to and in some instances exceed the bioavailability of vitamins in dry formulations due to its smaller particle size, facilitating improved nutrient utilization (Johnson, 2002). Additionally, DLC’s are preferred to dry formulations when considering its mixability and dispersion in liquid feeds and the lack of segregation. Dispersible liquid concentrates are a robust vitamin solution providing peace of mind in terms of targeted and accurate vitamin dosing and maintained bioavailability, even under fluctuating ambient conditions.

Conclusion

Selecting the appropriate vitamin formulation for inclusion in specific feed applications is important to ensure optimal vitamin stability and hence accurate dosing as per the intended supplementation levels. Vitamin supplementation in cattle feeding programs is an investment in animal health and overall performance which justifies selecting the appropriate vitamin formulation uniquely suited to individual needs. dsm-firmenich provides customers with custom-formulated vitamin blends using high quality and traceable ingredients and active vitamin components, coupled with state-of-the-art technology and manufacturing. Vitamins are not merely supplemented as is but carefully formulated into specialty blends to optimize safe handling, stability within feed, mixability, homogenous dispersion and solubility and resistance to extreme temperature and pH levels where applicable (such as in liquid feed supplements).

Contact your dsm-firmenich representative to assist in selecting the vitamin formulation suited to your operational needs.

References

References available upon request.

Published on

20 October 2025