Feed supplements – acceptable nutritional messages | Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority

This information outlines the nutritional messages the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) will consider as being words to the effect of ‘to supplement diets where levels may be low’.

These nutritional messages are relevant for blocks, licks, premixes or supplements where the product is marketed to maintain normal physiology rather than to modify an animal’s physiology. A nutritional message is a message that sets out in general terms the nutritional consequences for good health of the intake of a nutrient.

If you believe there are other nutritional messages or nutrients that may not require registration, you can submit details of the required nutrient with your proposed nutritional messages. The acceptability of these nutrients or the messages will be assessed by the APVMA on a case-by-case basis.

Vitamins
Minerals
Electrolytes
Amino acids
Fatty acids

1. Vitamins

Vitamin	Acceptable nutritional messages
Vitamin A (retinol)	Has a role in maintaining normal vision, skin, bones and muscles Has a role in maintaining normal growth processes Involved in normal reproductive performance Has a role in maintaining integrity of skin and mucous membranes
Vitamin D (D2 – ergocalciferol) (D3 – cholecalciferol)	Has a role in the absorption of calcium and phosphorus Has a role in normal growth and health of bones and teeth
Vitamin E (tocopherol)	Is an antioxidant
Vitamin K (menadione)	Has a role in maintaining normal blood clotting processes
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)	Has a role in maintaining healthy cartilage, tendons and bone
Vitamin B1 (thiamin)	Has a role in the metabolism and maintenance of normal muscle and nerve function Has a role in assisting in the maintenance of normal appetite and bodyweight
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)	Required for normal general metabolism and growth Has a role in maintaining integrity of skin, mucous membranes
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)	Has a role in normal general metabolism, nervous system function and vision Involved in red blood cell formation Has a role in maintaining normal healthy skin and vision
Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin)	Has a role in general metabolism and nervous and reproductive function Has a role in blood cell production
Folic acid	Involved in general metabolism Involved in the formation of red and white blood cells and haemoglobin Has a role in blood cell production
Pantothenic acid	Has a role in normal energy metabolism, reproduction, growth and nerve function Involved in transmission of nerve impulses Needed for health of skin and hair
Biotin	Has a role in general metabolism Has a role in maintaining integrity of skin, hair and hooves
Choline	Involved in metabolism of fats Has a role in transmitting nerve impulses
Inositol	Has a role in the metabolism of fats and integrity of hair and coat Has a role in maintaining a normal healthy coat
Niacin	Involved in general metabolism and red blood cell formation Has a role in maintaining normal healthy skin and hair condition

2. Minerals

Mineral	Acceptable nutritional messages
Calcium	Has a role in normal growth and maintenance of bones, teeth, nervous system, muscle function, blood clotting mechanism and cardiac function
Chromium	Has a role in the regulation of glucose metabolism
Cobalt	Involved in the formation of vitamin B12 and subsequent formation of red blood cells and haemoglobin Has a role maintaining normal nerve cell function
Copper	Has a role in iron metabolism, bone development and maintenance of elastic connective tissue
Iodine	Has a role in normal thyroid function Is a component of thyroid hormones which regulate metabolic processes including hair growth
Iron	Has a role in maintaining normal metabolism Is a component of haemoglobin in red blood cells
Manganese	Has a role in general metabolism and development of bone, cartilage and connective tissue Involved in normal blood clotting Has a role in maintaining normal growth, reproduction and lactation
Molybdenum	Has a role in general metabolism
Phosphorus	Has a role in general metabolism and nerve function Involved in the normal formation of bones, muscles and teeth
Selenium*	Has a role in preventing cellular oxidation Necessary for normal growth and fertility
Sulfur	Has a role in general metabolism and protein synthesis Has a role in maintaining healthy hair, skin and hooves Has a role in maintaining normal healthy joints
Zinc	Has a role in general growth and metabolism Required for normal bone and cartilage development Involved in maintaining the integrity of skin and mucous membranes, hair and hooves and in wound healing Has a role in maintaining a normal healthy coat

* For selenium supplement products to not require registration they also must comply with the following:

The concentration of selenium in the product must not require the product to be included in schedule 4 or 7 of the current Poisons Standard. For selenised yeast products, the concentration of selenium in the complete feed must not exceed a maximum of 0.2 milligrams per kilogram
The dose of selenium to the animal must be less than or equal to 0.1 milligrams per kilogram of body weight
The appropriate signal headings and warning statements required by the current poisons standard must be used on the product label
The product label should also contain a cautionary statement such as:

‘Excessive tissue levels of selenium are toxic. Care should be taken to avoid over-supplementation from this product and/or concurrent use of other products containing selenium (such as pasture top dressing, pellets, drenches or vaccine containing selenium). If blood selenium levels are high this product should not be used. Users can determine an animal’s selenium status by consulting their veterinarian.’

3. Electrolytes

Electrolyte	Acceptable nutritional messages
Sodium and chloride	Has a role in maintaining normal electrolyte balance in body tissues during heavy exercise Has a role in recovery after strenuous exercise
Potassium	Has a role in maintaining cellular integrity and healthy nerve and muscle function Involved in the normal digestion and utilisation of dietary nutrients Has a role in muscular contraction, nerve function and relaxation of the heart muscle
Magnesium	Has a role in general metabolism and the formation of bone and teeth Involved in maintenance of nervous function

4. Amino acids

Amino acids	Acceptable nutritional messages
Arginine	Has a role in promoting release of metabolic hormones – insulin; growth hormone Involved in the immune response Is a component of urea cycle
Histidine	Involved in normal growth
Isoleucine	Involved in normal protein synthesis and energy production
Leucine	Has a role in normal protein synthesis and energy production
Lysine	Has a role in normal protein synthesis
Methionine	Aids liver in detoxification mechanisms
Phenylalanine	Has a role in normal protein synthesis
Threonine	Required for normal growth, feed conversion and nitrogen balance in tissues
Tryptophan	Has a role in normal growth Involved in synthesis of niacin (vitamin B3)
Valine	Has a role in normal energy metabolism and protein synthesis

5. Fatty acids

Fatty acid	Acceptable nutritional messages
Linolenic acid – a combination of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (also called omega 3 essential fatty acid)	Has a role in maintaining a normal healthy skin and/or coat Is a source of extra energy for animals
Linoleic acid (also called omega 6 essential fatty acid)	Has a role in maintaining a normal healthy coat Is a source of extra energy for animals

Table of Contents

1. Vitamins

2. Minerals

3. Electrolytes

4. Amino acids

5. Fatty acids

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Feed supplements – acceptable nutritional messages

Table of Contents

1. Vitamins

2. Minerals

3. Electrolytes

4. Amino acids

5. Fatty acids

URL

Content last updated

Content last reviewed