Comparative effectiveness of iron-containing drugs for the prevention of iron deficiency anemia in piglets

Abstract

Prevention of iron deficiency anemia in piglets is an important preventive measure to ensure the health of pigs, as mortality from this pathology is quite high, and animals that recover from treatment do not realize their own potential productivity. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the use of iron (IV) clatrochelate in combination with cyanocobalamin for the prevention of iron deficiency anemia in piglets compared to the traditional scheme of prevention of this disease. To achieve this goal, 2 groups of newborn piglets-analogues were formed during their retention with suckling sows – control and experimental, 15 animals in each. The experiment lasted 30 days. Piglets in the experimental group were selected from sows given 10 ml of 10 % iron (IV) clatrochelate solution and cyanocobalamin solution twice intramuscularly during pregnancy. Piglets of the control group according to the traditional scheme of prevention of iron deficiency anemia on the second day of life were administered iron dextran drug (at the rate of 200 mg of iron (III) per injection). The results of the study show that the body weight of piglets from 1 to 9 days of their life who are born from sows which used iron (IV) clatrochelate and cyanocobalamin during pregnancy was less (P < 0.001) than the body weight of piglets which used iron dextran on the 2nd day after birth; did not differ on the 12 day of life, but on the 30 day was higher than the body weight of piglets in the control group 1.15 times (P < 0.001). The level of protein in the serum of piglets of the experimental group from birth to 30 day of life was probably higher compared to the control, which indicates that iron (IV) clatrochelate stimulates protein synthesis in the body. Therefore, double injection of 10 % solution of iron (IV) clatrochelate in a dose of 10 ml in combination with injections of cyanocobalamin at a dose of 500 mcg of active substance to pregnant sows pregnant sows 14 and 7 days before the expected farrowing provides a preventive effect of iron deficiency anemia in piglets born to them.