Here’s an interesting tidbit from an article on swine feed:
“The addition of Cu, Fe, Zn, or Mn ( P < .05) to diets that did not contain soybean oil increased the rate of α -tocopherol loss in comparison with NOTM and TM diets. Addition of Cu decreased α -tocopherol below 10% of initial levels in approximately 10 d.”
(NOTM=no trace minerals, TM=trace minerals)
Effect of pelleting and expanding processes on stability of vitamin E in animal feeds
“The stability of vitamin E (DL-alpha-tocopherol-acetate) in pelleted feed for broilers and expanding feed for pigs during storage in controlled, but extreme conditions (at temperature 60ºC and relative humidity 80%) was studied over a period of three months. Determination of vitamin content was performed by Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). During storage for three months, the concentrations of vitamin E in untreated feed samples for broilers and pigs decreased to 62% and 74% of their initial values, respectively. In the samples of pelleted feed for broilers and expanding feed for pigs, the concentrations of vitamin E decreased to 46% and 53% of their initial values, respectively. Increase of vitamin E content, between pelleting and expanding feed samples, was not statistically significant, but shows that the pelleting process has a greater impact on the degradation of vitamin E than expanding process. Losses, in general, were in the range found in other studies.”
This is interesting.
I bought a bigger bag of vit E pellets from Santa Cruz quite some time ago. Bought the big bag for cost savings, it’s only one horse so it’s taking me awhile to work through it. She’s on an ungodly amount of E, but from two sources - one is E-Se-Mag, and the other is the Santa Cruz.
I’ve followed this thread, while noting in my head that my mare has been tripping a little more than normal. Now I’m wondering what her E levels are, even with a different company.
Come fall vet check, I’m going to have her blood pulled and checked. I’ll update when I get the results.
did I miss what the treatment was?
Interesting nonetheless, thank you!
Now - what about powders, especially those mixed with trace minerals? Similar enough to what I assume was a pelleted or expanded swine feed (in the first comment)?
This is why Im hoping to see what the collective hive can dig up here! It doesn’t seem like a standard “switch to another product” scenario if the Vit E in another product may have the same issues. And also interesting to me that Vermont Blend just leaves it out entirely when the rest of their product is so similar. I may email them and ask, maybe they have some data they could share.
That was from the abstract. Here’s a link to the full text.
I think they’re comparing the “raw” ingredients (UT) to the pelleted or extruded versions, bith of which involve heat and moisture.
Is it the oil that (somewhat) prevents it or the addition of the minerals that increases the loss of vit e.
I have only quickly scanned through the paper, but it sounds to me like the addition of the minerals was the major effect noted, particularly the copper.
Sample of 1:
My horse tested within normal limits for Vit E in April. Fed TCS Gold for the year leading up to that test.
*disclaimer I plant winter grazing so horse was presumably getting Vit E from grass all winter as well as what was in feed
Here was the response from the Vermont Blend folks. Seems to track with what you dug up @Ghazzu !
I have Dealt with this issue by feeding vitamin E gel caps. I do feed additional copper and zinc, and toss gelcaps in to the feed bowl. Seems like a simple solution, since I like to prep the barn supps in the am, for an afternoon feed.
Is this aimed at milled blending? Because Shayney is also on poly copper and poly zinc pellets from ukele. I put them all in the same container and make 2 weeks worth at a time.
My horse wouldn’t eat their products, but the Custom Equine Nutrition person sounds like a class act!
I have had some conversations with her, some about her products, some just general chat, and she is quite lovely, from the bit of interaction we’ve had.
She is great! Ive gone back and forth with her a bit today comparing what I have been feeding to what they offer. Between the Vermont Blend Pro, their Omega E and Vit A, I would have all my bases covered with what I was getting with CTPlus, Platinum GI, and Elevate and save myself ~$1300/annually. I ordered a sample of the VBPro this morning and will see how that goes over palatability wise! I have enough of everything I can introduce it super slowly, and it’s fed at a lower rate too which will hopefully help. The only thing missing is the Bio Sponge in the PPGI, but they sell that standalone which I could use during the summer months if needed.
I am still very happy with the CT, he’s done well everywhere else despite the Vitamins but with his fecal water/GI support needs this would definitely be a better fit for my budget.
As an aside…I calculated what it costs to feed him per day and what it costs for my house of 2…Pony costs more to feed than we do currently 
If this switch works, he will be about the same as each of us cost on groceries and dining out LOL.
I’m a chemist with experience in pharmaceutical drug development, including stability. You need a study on the actual product; any stability data on VitE acetate alone or in a different product would not necessarily be predictive.
Storage in hot and/or humid environments are almost universally detrimental to stability. Even if CT tested 6 or a year after production that might not be indicative of VitE levels of a product stored in a hot, humid barn instead of a temp controlled warehouse.
I hope this helps
For mine - hot humid storage (in my garage) - check! It’s close to the concrete floor (but not on the floor) so that might keep it just a smidge cooler.
Really starting to wonder. I do cycle through the E-Se-Mag faster than the Santa Cruz E, because both of my horses are on it.
I guess buying in bulk for this stuff is a bad idea. I never really thought the stability thing through.
That’s an interesting point.
True, but there are a lot of “just plain Vit E” products, which are just d-alpha toco acetate, and any study on that would be very useful.
But Ghazzu did find at least that copper really degrades E, at least without the presence of soybean oil (not entire sure how that protects it but obviously it does to some degree), and that explains why a product like Vermont Blend doesn’t have E in it. A great many feeds/balancers that contain E, also have some amount of soybean oil.
but that’s what I can’t find - how stable is plain ol’ d-alpha toco acetate, what affects its stability?
Im really interested in this too. If the VBPro passes the taste test, I will also be ordering Omega E (flax with vitamin E) and Vitamin A from them. I would LIKE to order a few months worth of the vitamins as they come in smaller quantities, but wonder about the stability of those as standalones. If I do, I would keep them inside at home until I need a new bag on hand in the feed room.
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