Vitamin E replacement in wean-to-finish pigs: Farm trial results

Trial name: Effect of the use of a vitamin E substitute (Cabanin) in diets of wean-to-finish pigs on production performance  

Year: 2022 (Trial period: 14 Feb–25 Jun 2022)  

Country: Mexico  

This farm trial evaluated whether Cabanin can partially replace synthetic vitamin E (D-α-tocopherol) in wean-to-finish pig diets without compromising performance. The aim was to document production outcomes such as daily gain, feed intake, feed conversion, and backfat under commercial conditions.

Results

• Starter phase feed conversion improved by 6.13% in the Cabanin group (P < 0.05).
• No statistically significant differences were reported overall, but the Cabanin group ended +2.49% heavier (numerical).
• The study’s cost calculation showed production was 1.03% cheaper per kg produced with partial vitamin E substitution.
• The authors note that vitamin E represents a substantial share of the vitamin premix cost, making premix strategy an important factor when evaluating economics.

Conclusion

• Vitamin E can be partially substituted with Cabanin without negative performance effects in weaned and finishing pigs.
• The strongest documented impact in this study was improved feed conversion in the 18–40 kg weight range (Starter phase).
• Economic impact depends on your premix setup, but the trial reports a small net cost advantage when using Cabanin as a partial replacement.