MILKADE is a clear, micellized, water-dispersible, liquid solution of vitamins A, D and E. The product is specially formulated for animals fed pasteurized whole milk and can be added to milk prior to pasteurization or added to whole milk at time of feeding.
The vitamin E activity is provided as d-alpha-tocopherol (RRR-alpha-tocopherol), a natural-source and biologically active form of vitamin E. This is the same form of vitamin E found in whole milk. Although less stable than the acetate-ester of tocopherol, this vitamin E source does not have to be hydrolyzed in the neonate’s intestinal tract prior to absorption. This is of greatest importance to animals that may have a deficiency of esterase enzymes necessary to remove the ester prior to absorption since neonates do not efficiently utilize vitamin E-acetate that is typically supplemented in other products (Lauridsen, et al. 2001. J. Nutritional Biochem. 12:219-224).
Vitamin A activity is provided as retinyl-palmitate, a form of vitamin A found in whole milk. Whole milk is a very poor source of vitamin D. Increasing oral vitamin D supplementation fourteen-fold increased milk content only by two-fold. Whole cow’s milk contained only 11 I.U. per liter (Reeve et al. 1982. J. Nutr. 112: 667-672).
The micellization process enhances animal’s ability to utilize the fat-soluble vitamins. This process makes the fat-soluble vitamins readily dispersible in milk and water which allows the fat-soluble vitamins to be readily absorbed compared to powders or oily-forms of fat-soluble vitamins.