Vitamin deficiency
Diagnosis
Nutritional history, clinical signs, response to treatment, biochemistry.
NSW Department of Primary Industries laboratories do not analyse for vitamin A or vitamin E. Specimens will be tested at a specialist laboratory when these tests are requested
Specimens required
As vitamins A and E are light sensitive and degraded in tissues after collection, all samples for analysis should be protected from light by being wrapped in foil or brown paper frozen immediately and kept frozen during transport to the laboratory.
- 5 ml of serum, heparin plasma or EDTA plasma
NB. Ensure you obtain at least a full vacutainer of blood before separating off the serum/plasma. If inadequate volumes are presented, pools may be prepared where possible.
- 20 g liver
Interpretation of vitamin A and E concentrations in blood and liver (cattle, sheep, pigs)
| Deficient concentration | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Sample | Units | Vitamin A | Vitamin E |
| Sheep | Serum or plasma | µmol/L | <0.9 | <2.3 |
| Cattle | Serum or plasma | µmol/L | <0.9 | <4.6 |
| Sheep | Liver | µmol/kg | <700 | <4.6 |
| Cattle | Liver | µmol/kg | ? | <11.6 |
| Pig (piglet) | Liver | µmol/kg | <11 | <7 |
| Pig (adult) | Liver | µmol/kg | <40 | <7 |