Vitamin A (retinol) is an essential fat-soluble vitamin that animals cannot synthesise in sufficient amounts and therefore must obtain through dietary supplementation. It plays a fundamental role in maintaining normal vision by supporting the formation of rhodopsin and preventing night blindness, while also helping maintain the integrity of epithelial tissues in the respiratory and digestive tracts. In addition, vitamin A supports immune function, normal bone development, and reproductive performance, including fertility in sows, semen quality in breeding males, and laying performance in hens.

Because pure vitamin A is highly susceptible to oxidation and loss of activity, it is generally added to animal feed in the form of more stable derivatives, primarily retinyl acetate (vitamin A acetate) or retinyl palmitate. Through microencapsulation or adsorption onto suitable carriers, these derivatives are formulated into feed-grade preparations typically containing 500,000 IU/g or 200,000 IU/g, with products for the Chinese market manufactured in accordance with GB/T 7292.

Feed-grade vitamin A is widely used in feeds for swine, poultry, ruminants, and aquaculture species. Vitamin A deficiency can result in impaired growth, xerophthalmia, abnormal epithelial keratinisation, reproductive disorders, and reduced immune competence and disease resistance.