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What do the standards specify about artificial mineral and vitamin supplementation?
Supplements of trace elements may be used following approval from the certification body where there is evidence of a suspected dietary deficiency in home grown feeds as a result of soil deficiencies, or there is veterinary evidence for a deficiency within the livestock (e.g. blood analysis).
The following trace elements may be used:
- Iron
- Iodine
- Cobalt
- Copper
- Manganese
- Zinc
- Molybdenum
- Selenium
The use of in-feed straight and/or blended mineral salts, straight mineral licks free from additives and mineral injections and boluses is restricted, as outlined above. Only certain chemical forms of these minerals can be fed and farmers should consult the standards document and the certification body to ensure the product they intend to use is approved.
Mineral licks with flavour enhancers, non-mineral additives, preservatives and urea and concentrated vitamins and minerals which produce diets of very high nutrient density designed to achieve very early maturity or high levels of production are not permitted.