| Show vitamins important in animal breeding the success with which farmers raise their pig lamb and calf crops to meet expanding national food needs may depend in a large laif on the kind of rations they supply their breeding stock says earl H hostetler hosteller professor of animal husbandry at north carolina state college rations well fortified with vitamins and minerals are required for normal reproduction and vitamins A B E and C have received most attention in relation to reproduction carotene which is present in well cured green hay fresh green pasture grass well made corn grass and legume silage and yellow yellow varieties of carrots s squash and sweet potatoes is the principal source of vitamin A highly essential in the reproduction of all farrr farm animals however hostetler hosteller pointed out carotene is rapidly destroyed in feeds especially under conditions of poor storage so precautions must be taken to provide adequate amounts particularly to pregnant animals As early as in 1922 the vitamin E factor was demonstrated to be necessary for reproduction of laboratory such as the rat but the need for it in the diet of farm animals other than poultry is still questionable most good rations contain adequate amounts of this vitamin and only in unusual cases is it likely that animals may be sterile because E is lacking such feeds as wheat bran shorts linseed meal hominy feed white and yellow corn cottonseed meal and are good sources of vitamin E as are most of the common hay and pasture crops |
