Sec. 670.200 Status of Vitamins and Minerals in Type B and C Medicated Feed and in
Non-Medicated Feed (CPG 7126.11)
BACKGROUND:
Poultry and livestock usually subsist entirely upon feeds scientifically formulated to
provide a diet complete with all known vitamin and mineral requirements for maximum
production. Vitamins and minerals as well as other nutrients are often provided to
operators of feed mills in concentrated form to facilitate mixing of medicated and
non-medicated feed. We have established no regulations which set forth the optimum or
required daily vitamin/mineral intake for any animal species. We are, however, guided in
this regard by data in the scientific literature and information appearing in such
standard texts as the Nutritional Requirements of Domestic Animals published by the
National Academy of Sciences - National Research Council or in other published literature.
All medicated and non-medicated feeds should provide the target species with adequate
levels of each of the vitamins and minerals they are labeled as containing in accordance
with the published data.
Beyond providing adequate nutritional levels of required vitamins and minerals animal feed should not be misbranded by any direct or implied therapeutic or other claim for special benefits from the nutritional content. Nor should feeds be represented as tonic or conditioners or capable of providing "stamina" or "strength" or for increasing milk or egg production or butterfat content or bear any similar claims unless supported by the literature or so approved.
Animal feeds should be properly formulated so as to be safe for the animals and so as
not to produce unsafe tissue residues. All nutritional additives in feed should be either
GRAS or the subject of a food additive regulation prescribing their safe use.
POLICY:
The Center for Veterinary Medicine will not generally object to the marketing of type B or type C medicated feeds or of non-medicated feeds containing vitamins and minerals or other nutrients provided they conform to the following guidelines:
1. The nutritional additives are either GRAS or the subject of a food additive
regulation describing their safe use.
2. The product provides vitamins and minerals or other nutrients it is represented to
contain at concentrations reasonably consistent with sound nutritional practice for that
species.
3. The labeling clearly states the common or usual name of each nutrient, and is not
otherwise false or misleading in any particular.
4. The labeling should bear no disease prevention or therapeutic claims, including
growth promotional representations attributed to the added nutritional ingredients except
where supportable by scientific data.
5. Finally, the product should neither be superpotent nor subpotent or otherwise
formulated so as to pose a hazard to the health of the target animal or to humans
consuming edible products derived from the target animal.
While there is no formal compliance program concerning the vitamin-mineral content of
non-medicated feeds, appropriate regulatory action may be recommended against seriously
violative products.
Issued: 10/1/80
Revised: 6/1/86