More UVB results in more Vitamin D (chimps in zoos in this case) – Oct 2022

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Vitamin D status in chimpanzees in human care: a Europe wide study

Scientific Reports volume 12, Article number: 17625 (2022)
Sophie Moittié, Rachel Jarvis, Stephan Bandelow, Sarah Byrne, Phillipa Dobbs, Melissa Grant, Christopher Reeves, Kate White, Mátyás Liptovszky & Kerstin Baiker

 Download the PDF from VitaminDWiki

While vitamin D deficiency is a public health concern in humans, comparatively little is known about vitamin D levels in non-human primates. Vitamin D plays a crucial role in overall health and its deficiency is associated with a range of disorders, including cardiovascular disease, which is a leading cause of death in great apes. Serum samples (n = 245) from chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) housed at 32 European zoos were measured for 25-hydroxyvitamin D2, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 and total 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) using liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. Of these samples, 33.1% indicated inadequate vitamin D status, using the human reference interval (25-OHD < 50 nmol/L). The season of the year, health status of the animal, and the provision of daily outdoor access had a significant effect on vitamin D status. This is the first large-scale study on vitamin D status of non-human great apes in human care. Inadequate 25-OHD serum concentrations are widespread in the chimpanzee population in Europe and could be a risk factor for the development of idiopathic myocardial fibrosis, a major cause of mortality in this species, as well as other diseases. A review of husbandry and nutrition practices is recommended to ensure optimal vitamin D supply for these endangered animals.
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Note: Chimp food has 1600 to 10,170 IU/kg of food

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VitaminDWiki - 12 studies in both categories Veterinary and UV

This list is automatically updated

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See related in VitaminDWiki

• Opinion: sun better than UV better than vitamin D
• Senior pets rejuvenated with vitamin D 4,000 IU daily for a big dog
• Animals get a lot more vitamin D than minimum recommended for humans – 2016
• Why do animals seem to need more vitamin D than humans

Psittacines (large seed eating – macaw, parrot, cockatoo) 2000 IU/ kg of dry feed pg 1850
Ratites (emu, cassowary, ostrich, rhea) 1,500-2,500 IU/kg of dry feed pg 1851
Non-human primates 2,500 IU/kg of dry feed pg 1858;
marmosets 10,000 IU/kg of dry feed pg 1859
Reptiles 500-1,000 IU/kg of dry feed pg 1863
Turtles 1,000 IU/kg of dry feed pg 1865
Horses 800 -1,000 IU/kg (if not have >4 hours per day of sunshine or have sun-cured hay) pg 1879 -later growth 500 IU / kg
Pigs 200 IU/kg if < 10 kg in weight and 150 IU/kg if > 20 kg in weight pg 1891 - “they seem to preferentially use D3” over D2 pg 1896
Dogs 500 IU/kg of dry feed pg 1915 minimum
Cats 700 IU/kg growth and reproduction minimum, 500 IU/kg adult maximum 10,000 IU/kg pg 1916
Pekin Ducks 400 IU/kg of dry feed < 7 weeks, 900 IU/kg of dry feed breeding pg 2315
Geese 200 IU/kg pg 2315
Leghorn-type chickens 200 IU/kg of dry feed until first egg, then 300 IU/kg pg 2316
Turkeys 1,100 IU/kg of dry feed pg 2318

Note: Assuming adults eat about 1 kg of dry food per day, the RDA for humans would be 600 IU/kg of dry food
600 IU/kg is 4X less than non-human primates (above) and 17X less than what some chimps get in zoos (in study on this page)