Vitamin B Deficiencies

The B complex vitamins are water soluble and not stored to any significant extent in the body. They act in a broad range of metabolic pathways. Simple deficiency is now rare as diets are usually well supplemented. However, because a continuous supply is required, damage to the intestine or increased demand for some reason may have an effect. Most will reduce productivity, including growth in the young animal, and egg production in the layer. The embryo is particularly dependent on having adequate supplies of vitamins deposited in the egg. Vitamin deficiencies are especially prone to cause problems of hatchability. See the separate discussion under Chondrodystrophy and Fatty Liver and Kidney Syndrome.

Signs

These may be summarised:

• Perosis
• Curled Toe Paralysis
• Paralysis/'Stargazing
• Dermatitis/Scaly Skin
• Mouth Lesions
• Conjunctivitis
• Anaemia
• Fatty Liver and Kidney Syndrome
• Poor Feathering
• Loose feathers
• Hatchability problems
• Embryo with clubbed down

The vitamins involved are:

• Thiamine (B1)
• Riboflavin (B2)
• Pantothenic acid
• Pyridoxine (B6)
• Niacin
• Folic Acid
• Cyanocobalmin (B12)
• Biotin