Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2024 Sep 9;11(9):421.
doi: 10.3390/vetsci11090421.

Review of Liquid Vitamin A and E Formulations in Veterinary and Livestock Production: Applications and Perspectives

Yauheni Shastak  1 , Wolf Pelletier  1
Affiliations
Review

Review of Liquid Vitamin A and E Formulations in Veterinary and Livestock Production: Applications and Perspectives

Yauheni Shastak et al. Vet Sci. .

Abstract

Vitamins A and E are vital fat-soluble micronutrients with distinct yet intertwined roles in various biological processes. This review delves into their functions, nutritional requirements across different animal species, the consequences of deficiencies, and the impact of liquid formulations on veterinary medicine and livestock production. Vitamin A exists in multiple forms, essential for vision, immunity, and growth, while vitamin E acts primarily as an antioxidant, safeguarding cell membranes from oxidative damage. Hypovitaminosis in these vitamins can lead to severe health consequences, affecting vision, immunity, growth, reproduction, and neurological functions. Hence, supplementation, particularly through innovative liquid formulations, becomes pivotal in addressing deficiencies and enhancing overall animal health and productivity. Injectable forms of vitamins A and E show promise in enhancing reproductive performance, growth, and immune function in livestock. Administering these vitamins through drinking water offers a convenient way to enhance livestock health and productivity, particularly during times of stress or increased nutritional needs. Liquid vitamin A and E drops offer a flexible and effective solution in veterinary practice, allowing precise dosing and easy administration, particularly for companion animals. Future research may aim to optimize formulations and explore targeted therapies and precision feeding via nutrigenomics, promising advancements in veterinary medicine and livestock production.

Keywords: animal; liquid; requirement; veterinary; vitamin A; vitamin E; well-being.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Both authors of this work are affiliated with BASF, a manufacturer of vitamins and carotenoids, such as vitamins A and E. Nevertheless, it is crucial to underscore that the content of this manuscript has been sourced exclusively from scientific peer-reviewed data. Our unwavering commitment lies in upholding transparency and adhering to ethical research principles.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Structural formula for all-trans-retinol.
Figure 2
Figure 2
ATRA (all-trans-retinoic acid) as a modulator of T cell immunity [36].
Figure 3
Figure 3
Structural formula for α-tocopherol.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Vitamin A bioavailability in chickens 14 days post-parenteral administration [11].
Figure 5
Figure 5
Average latissimus dorsi muscle fiber diameter at harvest (adapted from Wang et al., [23]). Angus steer calves were administered with 0 (control) or 150,000 IU vitamin A (retinyl palmitate) per calf at birth and 1 month of age. The resulting steers were harvested at 14 months of age. * p < 0.05; Mean, n = 9.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Mordor Intelligence Feed Vitamins Market Size & Share Analysis-Growth Trends & Forecasts up to 2029. 2024. [(accessed on 5 July 2024)]. Available online: https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/global-feed-vitamins....
    1. Shastak Y., Pelletier W. The role of vitamin A in non-ruminant immunology. Front. Anim. Sci. 2023;4:1197802. doi: 10.3389/fanim.2023.1197802. - DOI
    1. Shastak Y., Obermueller-Jevic U., Pelletier W. A Century of Vitamin E: Early Milestones and Future Directions in Animal Nutrition. Agriculture. 2023;13:1526. doi: 10.3390/agriculture13081526. - DOI
    1. Mishra P., Paital B., Jena S., Swain S.S., Kumar S., Yadav M.K., Chainy G.B.N., Samanta L. Possible activation of NRF2 by Vitamin E/Curcumin against altered thyroid hormone induced oxidative stress via NFĸB/AKT/mTOR/KEAP1 signalling in rat heart. Sci. Rep. 2019;9:7408. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-43320-5. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Subudhi U., Das K., Paital B., Bhanja S., Chainy G.B. Supplementation of curcumin and vitamin E enhances oxidative stress, but restores hepatic histoarchitecture in hypothyroid rats. Life Sci. 2009;84:372–379. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2008.12.024. - DOI - PubMed

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.

LinkOut - more resources