Causes and Consequences of Vitamin E Deficiency in Young Poultry

Vitamin E deficiency is a common disease that develops in birds due to insufficient intake of vitamin E (tocopherol) from feed. This condition is accompanied by a number of serious pathological changes, including encephalomalacia, myodystrophy, and exudative diathesis.

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Symptoms of Tocopherol Deficiency in Chicks

Vitamin E deficiency primarily manifests in young poultry aged 10–15 days. Chicks aged 2–6 weeks are particularly vulnerable, as a lack of tocopherol combined with an excess of fats in their diet leads to encephalomalacia—a condition associated with the softening of the brain. Other manifestations of vitamin E deficiency include muscular dystrophy along with necrosis of muscle fibers, as well as exudative diathesis, which is characterized by swelling and hemorrhages in the subcutaneous tissue due to increased vascular permeability.

Vitamin E Content Standards and Poultry Requirements

In adult laying hens, the optimal level of vitamin E in serum is 0.9–1 mg per 100 ml, in the liver it is 10–16 mcg per 1 g, and in the yolks of incubated eggs it ranges from 70 to 200 mcg per 1 g. To meet the physiological needs of adult laying hens, the amount of tocopherol in the feed must be 10–30 mg per 1 kg of feed.

“Vitamin E deficiency is a disease that occurs due to insufficient intake of vitamin E (tocopherol) in the bird’s body. It is accompanied by encephalomalacia, myodystrophy, or exudative diathesis.”

Providing a balanced diet with adequate vitamin E content is an important element in the prevention of disease in poultry farming.