Vitamin E: antioxidant support on stored feed
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant that protects cell membranes and supports immunity and muscle function. Fresh pasture supplies plenty, but stored hay and silage lose much of it, so animals with little grazing often need a supplement.
Why is vitamin E often supplied with selenium?
Vitamin E and selenium work together in the body's antioxidant defences, so a shortage of one weakens the effect of the other. Fresh pasture is rich in vitamin E, but the level drops during haymaking and storage, and a housed herd on stored feed may need a supplement. State the vitamin E and selenium amounts separately in your supplement plan, in the unit the product label uses.
Questions from the farm
Does selenium replace vitamin E?
No. The two nutrients overlap in function but each has its own job, so give each its own amount in the plan.
How HerdMobile helps
Bring your animals, feed stocks and farm accounts together on your Android phone. HerdMobile keeps your daily work moving offline: record events, compare feed quantities and follow sales and payments in one place. Use your own feeds and herd information to prepare a ration, then keep a backup file under your control.
HerdMobile keeps each vitamin product with its unit and dose, so you can check your vitamin E and selenium plan against what was actually fed, not against memory.
