Sometimes farmers hear about using glucose with Vitamin C. Is it true that many times they have used it this way? Do you know the mechanism behind it? Vitamin C is also beneficial in aquaculture production, just like cod liver oil. Today, I will discuss the role of Vitamin C!
What is Vitamin C? Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is an acidic polyhydroxy compound containing 6 carbon atoms, with the molecular formula C6H8O6 and a molecular weight of 176.1 . Naturally occurring ascorbic acid exists in two forms: L-type and D-type, with the latter being biologically inactive. Vitamin C appears as a colorless, odorless crystalline substance, is a water-soluble vitamin, easily dissolves in water, and is insoluble in fat solvents. It is stable in acidic environments but can be oxidatively destroyed when exposed to oxygen, heat, light, and alkaline substances, especially in the presence of oxidizing enzymes and trace metals like copper and iron.
Weikeda – Always Good to Use!!!
Main Ingredients:
Vitamin C, excipients.
Indications:
1. Stress caused by various reasons, such as accelerated respiration, decreased feed intake, paralysis, and shock death due to high temperatures; physiological stress during livestock group changes and weaning of piglets, leading to decreased resistance; meeting the body’s need for Vitamin C during severe stress situations like transportation, feed changes, and disease outbreaks.
2. Using Vitamin C before and after vaccination can reduce excessive immune stress and promote the generation of vaccine antibodies, enhancing antibody levels.
3. Used during illness to improve the body’s disease resistance, reduce the severity of diseases, and promote rapid recovery.
4. Used for emergency treatment during poisoning and for treating Vitamin C deficiency.
Dosage:
Mix with feed: 0.25g per 1kg of feed; mix with drinking water: 0.125g per 1L of water. Thus, 500g of this product can treat 2000kg of feed or 4000L of water.
Clinical Application Guidelines:
1. Anti-stress, liver protection, and gallbladder benefits. During heat stress or feed changes, add 250g of Weikeda per ton of feed and use continuously for 7 days.
2. During disease infection, to prevent septicemia, enhance body resistance, and support liver detoxification, use 250g of Weikeda per ton of feed continuously for 7 days. It can be combined with antibiotics and traditional Chinese medicine to clear heat and detoxify, controlling pathogens.
3. For livestock experiencing acute circulatory disorders or heart failure due to stress or disease, leading to skin redness or purpleness: administer 30g of Weikeda mixed with 2L of water orally.
What is the Role of Vitamin C in Chicken Production? 1. Alleviating Heat Stress
During hot weather, chickens are often affected by external high-temperature stress due to poor heat dissipation, leading to increased body temperature, accelerated respiration, decreased feed intake, and reduced egg production.
Vitamin C can enhance chickens’ resistance to heat stress and diseases, improve heat tolerance, increase appetite, enhance ovarian metabolic function, and boost egg production rates. At a high temperature of 34°C, adding 200mg of Vitamin C per kilogram of feed can increase egg production by 8%, while adding 300mg can increase it by 10%. Nigerian scientists added Vitamin C to the feed of broilers in tropical climates. Under the same feed supply, the group with added Vitamin C showed significantly reduced mortality and increased body weight compared to the group without it. They believe that a content of 1.5 to 2.0 grams per kilogram of feed is sufficient to compensate for its deficiency. In practical production, providing a preventive amount of Vitamin C can mitigate the adverse effects of various stress conditions such as high temperature, high humidity, sudden interruptions in feed and water, vaccination, diseases, molting, catching, noise, and relocation.
2. Assisting in Disease Prevention and Treatment
Adding Vitamin C to therapeutic drugs can enhance their efficacy, helping chickens overcome diseases and recover more quickly.
3. Detoxification Function
Vitamin C has detoxifying effects against certain toxins in chickens, such as lead, arsenic, benzene, and some bacterial toxins.
4. Preventing Pecking Behavior
Adding an appropriate amount of Vitamin C to feed can significantly reduce pecking behavior in chickens and accelerate wound healing.
5. Enhancing Deworming Effects
When treating intestinal parasites in chickens, adding Vitamin C can enhance the deworming effect of the drugs and improve the chickens’ tolerance to antiparasitic medications, promoting faster recovery.
6. Improving Eggshell Quality
Adding Vitamin C to the drinking water of laying hens can enhance calcium utilization in bones, strengthen the formation of eggshells at night, resulting in harder eggs and reducing breakage rates. The effect is even better when used in conjunction with cod liver oil.
7. Strengthening Vaccine Efficacy
Timely supplementation of Vitamin C during chicken vaccination can further enhance their immunity. During stress periods, immune function declines, and Vitamin C supplementation can improve the impact of stress factors on chicken immunity. First, Vitamin C acts as a reducing agent, preventing free radicals from damaging cell membranes, thus protecting lymphocytes (which produce antibodies). Secondly, Vitamin C supplementation limits excessive secretion of adrenal steroids, reducing immune responses. Research from North Carolina State University indicates that adding Vitamin C provides a high level of protection against the lethality of infectious bursal disease in chickens. In a group of 3-week-old chickens without added Vitamin C, the total mortality rate was 37%, while in the group with added Vitamin C, the total mortality rate dropped to 20%.
Precautions for Using Vitamin C 1. Vitamin C is very sensitive to ultraviolet light, and high temperatures can significantly reduce its stability, so it should be stored away from light and heat.
2. Vitamin C should not be used simultaneously with sulfonamides or tetracycline antibiotics.
3. Vitamin C should not be used simultaneously with alkaline substances.
