And when hoof problems are due to or exacerbated by poorly designed floors, biotin supplementation by itself won't solve the problem. Acute biotin deficiencies are fairly obvious, although they may be mistaken for other nutritional deficiencies. Severity can vary, not all signs are always present, and there is no ready way to determine an animal's biotin status. Sows' hair coat and skin condition are the most important early signs of possible biotin deficiency. Action taken when these signs appear can prevent economic loss.
Various factors influence the level of supplemental biotin required in sow rations.
More research is required in many of these areas before the full effect of biotin can be defined. Brooks, P.H. 1978. The Effect of Dietary Biotin on the Incidence of Foot Lesions and on the Reproductive Performance of the Sow. Vitamin Day Symp. Lewis, A.J., et al. 1991.