Symptoms of Vitamin and Mineral Deficiency
| Functions | Symptoms (Bird and Mammal) | |
| Vitamin A: | Growth, alimentary tract and respiratory mucosa | Ruffled feathers, inflamed eyes, bulging and watery eyes, muscle incoordination, roughened coat, cloudiness of the cornea, nasal discharge, |
| Vitamin B1: | Carbohydrate metabolism, nerve or neuro-muscular impluse transmission | Anorexia, weakness, diarrhea, lethargy, seizures and other neurological disorders, weight loss, leg weakness, ruffled feathers, impaired digestion |
| Vitamin B2: | Functions within 2 other co-enzymes | Curled toe paralysis, anorexia, loss of weight, weakness, reduced growth, rough coat, diarrhea, leg paralysis, |
| Vitamin B6: | Protein metabolism | anorexia, retarded growth, muscular incoordination, convulsions and neurological disorders, abnormal excitability |
| Vitamin B12: | Carbohydrate metabolism | Anorexia, loss of weight, neurological and locomotion disorders, |
| Biotin: | coenzyme | Broken flight feathers, paralysis of hind quarters, fur discoloration, hair loss, degnerative changes in the hair follicles, thickened and scaly skin, conjunctivitis, eye infections, dermatitis |
| Choline: | Nerve functioning, | Extreme weakness, labored breathing with 6-8 days, enlarged hocks, slipped tendons, reduced growth of leg bones, awkward gait, growth retardations, muscular weakness |
| Folic Acid: | Transfers single carbon units in molecular transformations | Lack of growth and emaciation, low WBC (anemia), depigmentation of feathers, poor feathering, profuse salivation |
| Niacin: | Functions in 2 coenzymes | Reduced growth, enlarged hocks, poor feathering, anorexia, drooling, dermatitis, tongue discoloration |
| Pantothenic Acid: | Necessary for fat, carbohydrate, and amino acid metabolism | Anorexia, skin lesions, crusty scabs around beak and eyes, emaciation, weakness, reduced growth, leg disorders, poor feathering, |
| Vitamin D: | Calcium absorption and metabolism | Rickets, nervous disorders, enlarged joints, wobbly gait, low appetite, stiff legs See Metabolic Bone Disease |
| Vitamin E: | Antioxidant, muscle integrity | Nutritional muscular distrophy, sudden death (weakened heart) |
| Vitamin K: | Necessary for blood clotting | Hemorrhaging |
| Calcium: | Skeletal growth | Paralysis, retarded growth See Metabolic Bone Disease |
| Chromium: | Synergism with insulin to promote glucose uptake and metabolism | Reduced rate of growth, hyperglycemia |
| Cobalt: | Synthesis of Vitamin B12 | Anemia, wasting away, loss of appetite |
| Copper: | Necessary for hemoglobin and melanin formation, blood proteins, enzyme systems | Anemai, diarrhea, loss of appetite, nervous disorders, loss of hair color, reduced hair growth, bone deformities, |
| Iron: | Formation of hemoglobin | Anemia, listlessness, weight loss |
| Manganese: | Bone formation, energy metabolism, electrolyte balance | Nervous disorders, loss of equilibrium, bone malformations, slipped tendon |
| Phosphorus: | Energy metabolism, skeletal growth | Lack of appetite |
| Potassium: | Acid-base balance in intracellular fluid. Activates enzymes, heart, muscle tone | Overall muscle weakness, loss of appetite, cardiac weakness and failure |
| Selenium: | Interacts with Vitamin E to maintain tissue integrity | Nutritional muscular dystrophy, labored breathing, diarrhea, |
| Sodium: | Acid-base balance, water retention | Lack of appetite |
| Zinc: | Essential for synthesis of DNA, RNA and proteins | Enlarged hocks of birds, poor feathering, retarded growth, rough hair coat and hair loss, weight loss, loss of appetite, impaired wound healing, shortening of long bones, dry foot pads |
| References: Nutritional Diseases of Mammals, J. Wallach and G. Hoff; Keeping Livestock Healthy | ||