Review of Mineral and Vitamin Complexes for Pregnant Ewes and Lambs

Breeding of small cattle is affordable for small farms and does not require signif-icant financial investments, however, forage is often characterized by an insufficient content of minerals and vitamins. The paper analyzes patent developments of mineral and vitamin complexes (MVCs) intended for dry sheep and lambs, as well as a review of scientific data justifying the use of their components. Based on a search in the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) database for the keywords “vitamins for sheep” and “minerals for sheep”, 23 patents focused on dry sheep and lambs were se-lected from 120 patents on feed additives for sheep. Their component composition is analyzed, which is conditionally divided into four groups: minerals, vitamins, func-tional and feed additives. It is shown that modern MVCs are developed taking into account the requirements of environmental safety and the physiological needs of ani-mals. It is concluded that minerals and vitamins should be considered as elements of a scientifically based vitamin and mineral system, the effectiveness of which during pregnancy is determined by the initial level of provision, the physiological status of animals and the characteristics of mineral metabolism.