By Dori Modney (@Dori_Modney on Twitter)

Strategic information for producers during vitamin shortage

Mar 27, 2018 | 4:21 PM

LETHBRIDGE – The Alberta Agriculture and Forestry website has an important fact sheet with information on Vitamin A and E use for livestock during a shortage, which the industry is facing right now.
 
The shortage stems from a fire at the BASF plant in Germany, which caused 45% of the world vitamin-A production to be lost and the plant isn’t expected to be back in production until the middle of April, with supplies not back to normal until September or October.
 
A fact sheet has been produced which goes over how to identify which animals are at risk, what to do, and how to manage the feeds and vitamin supply that you have, so that you don’t run into problems with dead or weak calves.
 
Without vitamins A and E for ruminant animals, there can be reproduction, herd health and immune function problems but, it also causes high mortality rates in poultry and has an impact on reproductive efficiency in swine as well.
 
 For more information about this factsheet, contact the Alberta Ag-Info Centre at 310-FARM (3276).