The U.S. swine industry relies heavily on the consistent availability of vitamins and amino acids to sustain production efficiency. A new report confirms the absence of supplemental amino acids would result in significantly less efficient pork production, meaning supply chain vulnerabilities would have profound implications.
In a December letter to President Donald Trump, 16 members of Congress warned the administration about the country’s overreliance on China for “critical nutrients that are essential to both human health and animal agriculture.” Read the full story here.
In response to rising tensions and global supply chain vulnerabilities of these critical nutrients, the Institute for Feed Education and Research (IFEEDER), along with Decision Innovation Solutions (DIS) and Lobo Consulting Solutions (LCS), initiated a study to quantify the potential impacts of vitamin and amino acid supply chain disruptions on U.S. food animal production.
“The lack of supplemental amino acids and vitamins significantly increases diet cost, but the true implications will be realized in the longer term as diet modifications will impact the availability of alternative ingredients and animal productivity,” the report says.
The environmental impacts of restricting supplemental vitamins and amino acids should also be recognized. For example, the amount of water required to raise a pig could increase by 30% and ammonia concentration could rise by 80% when no supplemental amino acids are available.
A Vulnerability in U.S. Swine Production
Because about 78% of the U.S. vitamin supply is imported from China, it’s clear that dependence leaves the swine feed sector vulnerable.
“China’s growing dominance in amino acid production parallels the trajectory seen with vitamins,” the report says. “Shortages in these key nutrients can reduce growth rate, impair health and lower pork output per unit of feed, ultimately increasing production costs and threatening food security.”
Industry experts noted uncertainty about how other vitamin-producing countries would respond if there was a supply chain disruption. They would likely rely on China for some intermediate chemicals, and might prioritize their own needs before supplying the U.S.
“On average, unit prices of imported vitamins and amino acids from China are generally lower than those from other major suppliers,” the report explains. “Industry members have also noted that most vitamin prices are currently at or near historic lows, reflecting China’s continued expansion of production capacity and its growing dominance in the global vitamin supply.”
Restricted Vitamins and Amino Acids Adversely Affect Swine
To assess the impacts of vitamin and amino acid supply chain disruptions, representative industry diets (RIDs) were formulated for market hogs and sows in this study. Nutrient supply of the RID indicates market hogs are highly dependent on supplemental lysine, vitamin A, cobalamin (B12) and vitamin D to meet the nutrient specification. Sows are reliant on vitamin A, several B vitamins, vitamin D and vitamin E supplementation for optimal health and productivity. Supplemental tryptophan is sometimes used to support growth and production, but it was not included in the RIDs.
“Limitations in vitamin and amino acid availability can negatively impact swine performance, health and productivity,” IFEEDER reports. “While this report highlights B vitamins and lysine as representative examples of how limiting vitamin and amino acid supplementation can negatively affect market hog KPIs, limiting in other vitamins and essential amino acids would also be expected to negatively affect market hog KPIs.”
As with market hogs, limiting vitamin and amino acid supplementation would also be expected to negatively affect sow KPIs, the study reveals.
Here’s a look at the eight major vitamins used in animal feed.
• Vitamin A
Global vitamin A production capacity in 2023 was estimated at approximately 27,500 metric tons (MT), with China accounting for 53% and the EU accounting for 47% of total capacity. U.S. imports of vitamin A have largely originated from China, with volumes ranging from 821 MT in 2023 to 1,418 MT in 2021. In 2024, the U.S. imported 1,260 MT of vitamin A from China.
• Riboflavin (B2)
Global B2 production capacity in 2023 was approximately 15,900 MT, with China, the EU and South Korea accounting for 64%, 22% and 14% of total capacity, respectively. In 2024, the U.S. imported a record volume of 1,936 MT of B2, with China providing about 56% of the total.
• Pantothenic acid (B5)
Over the past decade, 77% of U.S. B5 imports have originated from China.
• Biotin (B7)
China accounted for 100% of global B7 production capacity in 2023.
• Folic acid (B9)
Because of insufficient data, DIS and LCS were unable to estimate production capacity, supply and demand of B9 for 2023.
• Cobalamin (B12)
China accounted for 100% of global B12 production capacity in 2023, with an estimated global supply of 83 MT, corresponding to a capacity utilization rate of 31%. Over the past decade, China has had a share of about 77.6%, on average, of U.S. total B12 imports.
• Vitamin D3
Global vitamin D3 production capacity in 2023 was estimated at 19,000 MT, with China accounting for 93%, followed by India at 5% and the EU at 3% of total capacity. Over the past decade, U.S. imports under this code have steadily increased, with China as the leading supplier followed by Switzerland and India.
• Vitamin E
Global vitamin E production capacity in 2023 was estimated at 90,000 MT, with China and the EU accounting for 65% and 35%, respectively, of total capacity. Trade data indicates China has been the dominant supplier of vitamin E to the U.S., with an average of 65% of total imports.
Amino acids lysine, methionine, threonine and tryptophan were also evaluated.
• Global lysine production capacity in 2023 was estimated at 4.7 million MT, with East Asia accounting for 74%, North America for 12%, Southeast Asia for 5%, South America for 4%, Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and Central Asia totaling 3% and the EU at 1% of total capacity. The research shows total U.S. lysine imports have fluctuated between 2020 and 2024, but imports increased by 39% in 2024 compared with 2020. Since 2020, over 90% of lysine imports have originated from China.
• Global methionine production capacity in 2023 was estimated at 2.3 million MT, with East Asia accounting for 37%, the EU for 26%, Southeast Asia for 19%, North America for 17% and CIS and Central Asia reaching 1% of total capacity combined. U.S. methionine imports varied both in total volume and source country between 2020 and 2024. According to the study, total imports declined from 32,560 MT in 2020 to 5,624 MT in 2024, but China still supplied about 87% of total U.S. imports in 2024.
• Global threonine production capacity in 2023 was estimated at 1.3 million MT, with East Asia accounting for 90%, followed by North America at a distant 7%, CIS and Central Asia at 2% combined and South America at 1% of total capacity. Over the past five years, China has been the main supplier of U.S.-imported threonine, accounting for between 96% in 2020 and 89% in 2024. In 2021, a large quantity of threonine imports came from Singapore. This was likely driven by increased shipments from Singapore, which are believed to reflect temporary transshipments of Chinese-origin product related to COVID-associated trade disruptions rather than a structural shift in sourcing, the report says.
Vitamin and Amino Acid Shortage Equals Less Pork
The availability of supplemental vitamins and amino acids significantly influences the amount of pork produced in the U.S., experts say.
“A reduction in pigs weaned due to the absence of supplemental vitamins and amino acids in sow feed could reduce the number of weaned pigs entering the nursery,” the report says. “Without supplemental amino acids, reformulated diets would require higher levels of dietary protein, which could be detrimental to post-weaning pigs with enteric issues, leading to poor performance, increased diarrhea and higher mortality and morbidity. This reduces the number of pigs entering the grow-finish phase and further decreases pork production.”
To read the full report, visit www.ifeeder.org.
