Vitamin B-Complex - Jeffrey Low

VITAMIN B-COMPLEX : SYMPTOMS OF DEFICIENCY AND COMMON FOOD SOURCES RICH IN THESE VITAMINS THAT COULD BE INCLUDED IN THE INGREDIENTS FOR MAKING SHAMA DRY FOOD


Vitamin B1 (thiamine):
Deficiency causes polyneuritis in birds - general weakness, star-gazing and convulsions.

Rich sources of thiamine are mostly from plant sources. Peanuts, brewer's yeast, dry beans, peas and wheat germ are good sources for B1.


Vitamin B2 (riboflavin):
Deficiency causes “curled toes” in birds. Breeding birds deficient in B2 can result in poor egg production and hatchability. B2 is therefore very important for breeding shamas and should be supplemented when necessary. Also, B2 is shown to prevent and treat cataracts in humans (shamas are known to be sometimes prone to cataracts).

Brewers yeast, eggs, green peas and legumes are good sources for B2.



Vitamin B3 (niacin):
Deficiency can cause enlargement of hock joints, bowed legs, inflammation of mouth, diarrhea and poor feathering.

Brewer's yeast, peanuts, dried peas and beans are good sources for niacin.


Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid):
While signs of B5 deficiency are rare in birds, dermatitis of the footpad and the skin around the eyes and beak can sometimes be attributed to this.

Brewer's yeast, eggs, beef and beans are good sources for pantothenic acid.



Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine):
The shama being an insectivore requires sufficient B6 in order to metabolise the amino acids in its high protein diet. A high protein diet low in B6 will cause problems including depressed appetite, poor growth in chicks as well as extreme spasmodic convulsions (fits). It is important to bear this in mind especially for breeding and molting shamas fed on a full live food regime consisting mostly of insects. These and young chicks that are fed only with insects during the initial days before dry food is introduced have to be supplemented. Captive shamas are fed with a limited variety of insects that are mostly commercially bred (mealworms and crickets). The wild shamas feed on a wide variety of insects and the diet and nutrient contents of these insects can be very different from those farmed commercially. This could very well be the reasons why captive shamas on an all insect diet are known to sometimes suffer from spasmodic convulsions.

Brewer's yeast is a very good source for B6. Other sources are eggs and wheat germ.



Vitamin B7 (biotin):
Some of the signs of deficiency are like those of B5 deficiency – dermatitis of footpad, skin around eyes and beak. In breeding shamas, dead in shell embryos and deformed chicks can be caused by hens deficient in B7 and they should be supplemented when necessary.

Egg yolks, brewer's yeast, peanuts and beans are good sources for biotin.



Vitamin B9 (folic acid):
Deficiency causes poor feathering and weak and brittle feather shafts, anemia with pale mucous membranes in the mouth, deformed leg bones and poor hatchability in breeding due to embryonic mortality usually towards the last few days of incubation.

Brewer's yeast, egg yolk and fishmeal are good sources for folic acid.


Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin):
Deficiency causes inflamed mucous membranes, uncoordinated movements and poor hatchability in breeding (below 50%). New born chicks can be deformed due to deficiency in this vitamin. B12 deficiency can also be caused by presence of tapeworms in the birds.

Eggs, fishmeal and beef are good sources for B12.

[The post below from Jeffrey was in response to an enquiry on the Malaysian Shama Forum following his above post]

Hi Ronald,

I agree with you that over exposure to bright sunlight may cause cataracts in some shamas. I had also experience the same before with one shama and one anis merah. I think wild caught shamas and maybe some other species of birds that were obtained from habitats with a thick forest canopy and are seldom exposed to bright lights will be more prone to this.

I am not sure whether or not if deficiency in B2 vitamins can cause cataracts in birds but B2 works in conjuntion with B6, B9 and iron and one of its functions is for skin and eye health. B2 has been used in humans for preventing cataracts so it could be beneficial for cataract proned birds although this is unclear.

As for excess of vitamin B complex, there is very low risk of overdosing. This is because they are water soluble and excesses are excreted and not stored in the organs like the fat soluble vitamins. Vitamin B12 being the exception, in that excesses are stored in the liver but tolerance for B12 is very high. So large quantities of B12 can be stored in the liver with little risk of toxicity.

A large dose of B-complex administered to birds having an acute attack of fits due to deficiency in B vitamins can revive these birds very quickly but the underlying cause is still not taken care of (deficiency in either B1 or B6). Therefore to alleviate this problem, these B vitamins must be present in the daily diet in adequate amount. For B6, the higher the protein level in the daily diet, the more B6 is needed.

Fat soluble vitamins like Vit A, D, E and K, you cannot over-supplement because excesses are stored and can be toxic. As for the B vitamins, since excesses are excreted (except B12), all these vitamins must be present in the daily diet of the bird. Therefore, supplementing once a month will not serve the purpose if there is a deficiency of these vitamins in the diet.

Vydex brand

Question

I have just browsed through your web site regarding Shama. I find that it contains very helpfull information for someone who wants to keep a shama.
I would be greatful if you could provide me with an address in Singapore where I can buy the Vydex brand of avian vatamins.

Answer

I have stopped using Vydex. It is not available locally and must be ordered from the manufacturer in Wales. Their parcel service is not very good and 2 parcels were lost.

Nowadays, I mainly use the liquid vitamins that are sold for humans. I get my vitamin B liquid supplements fron GNC. I also use the powdered vitamin B from Nectone which is good. I order this vitamin directly from the factory to ensure that it is fresh since vitamin B deteriorates quickly during storage.

Best regards,

David

Vitamin Deficiency

There have been several trials carried out on the effects of vitamin D3 on parrot type birds as well as on other species. This vitamin is required to convert calcium into bone and when the hen is laying, into eggshell.

When vitamin D3 and calcium is fed to birds in larger than normal doses, it was found that they would produce substantially more eggs in the first year. These were normal eggs that produced chicks. However, continued feeding resulted in a decline in egg production in the 2nd year to the extent that the hen stopped laying. If the practice was discontinued, the birds would slowly recover over a year and in the following year would revert to normal egg laying.

An overdose of other vitamins will also result in problems. Amongst the lesser problems are tails and feathers that do not grow in the usual way. In general, studies have found that the birds are more likely to have a deficiency rather than an overdose of vitamins. I asked Melvyn John of Vydex, the symptoms of birds that were fed too much multi-vitamins. His answer was that if the overdose was over a short period, the symptoms are similar to that of a deficiency. If you stopped giving vitamins for one or 2 days, the birds would recover.

If you see your bird constantly at the feed cup and it appears to be listlessly pecking at the food, it is a little fluffy, its wings are droopy and it is not alert, the chances are that it is suffering from a deficiency or overdose of vitamins. If you have not been feeding vitamins, then your birds is clearly suffering from a deficiency. If you have been feeding vitamins, try stopping for one or 2 days and see if there is an improvement. If there is no improvement, then it suggests that the bird is suffering from an insufficiency or lack of vitamins. The most likely one is vitamin B Complex and if you don’t feed your bird this vitamin without delay, you can expect it to have an epileptic type fit within a matter of days.

Sulphur requirement in moult

Reproduced below are relevant extracts from an article on the requirements of the sulphur containing amino acids in the diet of birds. It is intended for those who wish to know more about this subject. Sulphur is needed in the bird's diet especially during the molt.The entire article may be viewed at: http://www.holisticbird.org/nutr/protein.htm

Sulphur containing Amino Acids

There are four sulphur containing amino acids. They are: methionine, cystine, cysteine, and taurine. Of those, the essential amino acid for birds...which means it must be supplied in the diet...is methionine. Taurine is essential for cats but not birds. Sulphur is also present in the B vitamins: thiamine and biotin.

Cysteine and Cystine are not essential. They are synthesized in the liver. Cysteine is formed from homocysteine which comes from the essential amio acid methionine. Cysteine can be converted to cystine and taurine. Cystine contains two cysteine molecules. Sulphur can be obtained from various foods. ….Eggs contain sulphur. Animal tissue contains approximately 0.25% sulphur of the total body weight.

A sulphur deficiency can be mistaken for protein deficiency. Sulphur is used by the body in enzyme reactions, protein and collagen synthesis, the production of keratin (hair, nails, fur, feathers), and other body functions. Some skin and joint problems are a result of sulphur deficiency.
Taurine is not essential because it can be produced from cysteine with the help of pyridoxine, vitamin B6. It is high in meats and fish proteins.
Methionine is essential. It must be provided in the diet. It is of the most concern because it is the least abundant protein in many foods.

If reference is made to the full article bear in mind that it is on the topic of the protein requirements of parrots.[quote]