By Signe Lovise Thingnes
With pigs growing faster and becoming more feed-efficient than ever, we must stay on top of the requirements and fine-tune the balance of vitamins and minerals needed to support their development—especially when it comes to bone health. One critical nutrient is Vitamin D.
Why is Vitamin D important for pigs?
Vitamin D helps regulate calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) levels in the blood, supporting bone development. It also influences immune function, muscle growth, and reproductive health. In pig diets, Vitamin D can be supplemented either as Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) or as 25(OH)D3, a form that’s more bioavailable and mirrors what naturally circulates in blood. While 25(OH)D3 is more efficient and often used in sow diets to support reproduction, its higher cost means that nursery pigs and grower-finishers usually receive the more economical Vitamin D3.
Putting Vitamin D to the test
In a recent trial involving 160 grower-finisher pigs (TN70 x Duroc), four dietary regimes were tested:
• DD: Only Vitamin D3 throughout
• DH: D3 in nursery, 25(OH)D3 in grower-finisher phase
• HD: 25(OH)D3 in nursery, D3 in grower-finisher phase
• HH: Only 25(OH)D3 throughout
Feed intake, weight, and exterior scores were recorded, and blood samples were taken from representative pigs in each dietary group.
What did we find?
Pigs receiving more bioavailable Vitamin D during the nursery phase were heavier at trial start. More bioavailable vitamin D also resulted in higher circulating levels of 25(OH)D3 in the blood, improved overall gait scores, and resulted in fewer pigs culled for leg issues. Overall production performance was not affected by dietary treatment.
