What is vitamin B1?
Thiamine consists of a pyrimidine ring and a thiazole ring joined by a methylene bridge. In the body it is converted to thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP, also called thiamine diphosphate), the active coenzyme.
Animals store very little thiamine, so a regular dietary supply is needed. Cereals and their by-products contain thiamine, but levels vary and losses occur during storage and processing, which is why it is routinely included in vitamin premixes for pigs, poultry, fish and pets.
What does thiamine do in animal feed?
- Energy metabolism: TPP is the coenzyme of pyruvate dehydrogenase and alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, key steps in releasing energy from glucose, and of transketolase in the pentose phosphate pathway.
- Nervous system: the brain relies heavily on glucose, so deficiency shows up as neurological signs; in poultry, the classic sign is polyneuritis with head retraction ('star-gazing').
- Appetite and growth: deficiency reduces feed intake and growth in all species.
- Ruminants: rumen microbes normally supply thiamine, but disturbances such as high-sulphur diets or thiaminase activity are associated with polioencephalomalacia (cerebrocortical necrosis).
- Fish and pets: diets containing raw fish with thiaminase, or sulphite-preserved ingredients, can destroy thiamine, so the supply needs extra attention.
Thiamine mononitrate vs thiamine hydrochloride
- Thiamine mononitrate: less hygroscopic and more stable in dry mixtures, so it is the standard choice for vitamin premixes and pelleted feed. Its thiamine content is about 81% by molecular weight.
- Thiamine hydrochloride: more soluble in water and more hygroscopic; preferred in drinking-water products, liquids and some milk replacers. Its thiamine content is about 79%.
- Conversion: 1 g of thiamine mononitrate supplies about the same thiamine as 1.03 g of thiamine hydrochloride. Because some specifications state vitamin B1 as the salt and others as thiamine, the basis must always be clear.
How is the thiamine supply assessed?
Nutritionists set thiamine levels per kilogram of feed by species, age and production stage, and allow for losses during pelleting, extrusion and premix storage. Higher carbohydrate diets increase the metabolic demand for thiamine. Known antagonists, such as thiaminases in some raw fish and plants, sulphites and the coccidiostat amprolium (a thiamine analogue), are also taken into account. Local regulations and the product label prevail.
Stability and quality criteria
- Assay (purity) on the dried basis and a certificate of analysis (CoA) for each lot.
- Choice of salt according to the application: mononitrate for dry premixes, hydrochloride where water solubility matters.
- Sensitivity to heat, alkaline pH, moisture and sulphites; stability is reduced in premixes containing high levels of choline chloride and trace minerals.
- Low moisture and good flowability; particle size suited to even distribution.
- Storage in closed packaging in a cool, dry place.
CTF Premix and vitamin B1
Thiamine mononitrate or thiamine hydrochloride can be included in CTF Premix's vitamin, vitamin-mineral and custom premixes according to the customer's formulation, with the declaration basis agreed in the specification. Production takes place at our Ankara facility under ISO 9001:2015 and GMP; each lot has a certificate of analysis and can be traced on the batch verification page of our website.
This page is for general information. Inclusion rates and product choice should be decided with a nutritionist, taking into account the species, the feed formulation and the applicable regulations.