Literature concerning cobalt supplementation for chickens is scarce. NRC (1994) recommended that cobalt is required as a trace element in the poultry diet, but it does not need to be supplied as a trace mineral because it is a part of vitamin B12. However, nowadays we can find cobalt as a part of mineral premix made for poultry.
Yes poultry needs cobalt & the requirements are often met by the available cobalt in the B complex. supplementation therefore lead to excess cobalt, in the system of the birds.. In addition,it could l
The feed manufacturer or feed company use only Vit B12 (Cyancobalamin) which provide birds with their requirements from cobalt . Excellent feed companies consider in their calculation that the mineral premix might include cobalt. that what everyone should consider to get the correct requirement.
You're right Khalil. But the question is why good companies add Co to mineral premix, when no requirement reported in any nutritional guideline.
when the poultry receive adequate dietary vit B12, there is no convincing evidence of a requarement for or benefit from dietary cobalt
I echo what is being said by Robi. As long as you have met the B12 requirements then adequate amounts of cobalt are covered. Besides, in most cases cobalt addition in poultry premixes is not recommended due to the carcinogenic effects of cobalt to the factory workers who weigh it for mixing purposes during the manufacturing process of the premix. Therefore, for health reasons it is mosltly not recommended for addition in poultry premixes.
Khalil is right. Monogastric animals, birds and general structure of the cobalt in vitamin B 12 need not take advantage of its free form.
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