Abstract
A total of 1,892 newborn pigs (PIC 359 × C40; initially 3.3 lb body weight [BW]) within 172 litters were used in a 168-d study to evaluate the effects of Fe injection timing after birth on suckling and subsequent nursery and growing-finishing growth performance and hematological criteria. One day after birth, piglets were weighed, and 11 pigs within each litter were allotted to 1 of 6 treatments consisting of no Fe injection or 200 mg of injectable Fe provided on d 1, 3, 5, or 7 of age, or 200-mg on d 1 plus 200-mg on d 12 of age. Piglets were weighed individually and bled at weaning (19 d of age) to determine blood Fe status and lactation growth performance. Pigs were weaned and placed in a commercial wean-to-finish facility in a total of 15 pens with equal representation of treatments in each pen. Pigs were individually weighed on d 72 and 168 after birth to determine subsequent nursery and growing-finishing average daily gain (ADG). During the lactation phase, marginal significance for a decrease (linear; P = 0.080) in preweaning ADG was observed with increasing the age at which pigs received a 200-mg Fe injection; however, there was no evidence for a difference (P > 0.10) in d 19 BW. The absence of an Fe injection decreased (P = 0.0001) preweaning ADG and d 19 BW compared to pigs receiving an Fe injection. Providing a 200-mg Fe injection on d 1 plus d 12 of age showed no evidence of a difference (P > 0.10) in preweaning ADG or d 19 BW compared to pigs receiving a 200-mg Fe injection on d 1 only. During the nursery (d 19 to 72 d of age) or finishing (d 72 to 168) phases, increasing the age at which pigs received a 200-mg Fe injection after birth provided no evidence for a difference (P > 0.10) in subsequent nursery or finishing ADG. The absence of an Fe injection post-farrowing decreased (P = 0.0001) subsequent nursery ADG and ending BW on d 72. Overall (d 1 to 168 d of age), increasing the age at which pigs received a 200-mg Fe injection provided no evidence for a difference (P > 0.10) in overall ADG. The absence of an Fe injection post-farrowing decreased (P = 0.0001) overall ADG. Providing a 200-mg Fe injection on d 1 plus d 12 of age showed no evidence
Highlights
Iron is an indispensable micromineral due to its involvement in numerous biological functions
Marginal significance for a decrease in preweaning average daily gain (ADG) was observed with increasing the age at which pigs received a 200-mg Fe injection; there was no evidence for a difference (P > 0.10) in d 19 BW
The absence of an Fe injection decreased (P = 0.0001) preweaning ADG and d 19 BW compared to pigs receiving an Fe injection
Summary
Iron is an indispensable micromineral due to its involvement in numerous biological functions. Iron deficiency and anemia develop prior to weaning because of low Fe storages at birth, rapid growth rate, and low sow colostrum and milk Fe content.[5,6] Because of this, supplemental injectable Fe is provided to suckling piglets to prevent Fe deficiency and anemia. Efficacy of supplemental injectable Fe after birth on suckling and subsequent nursery pig performance is well established.7,8A single 200-mg intramuscular (IM) injection of Fe is commonly used in the swine industry to prevent Fe deficiency. Egeli and Framstad determined that administering a 180-mg injection of Fe dextran to suckling pigs 1, 3, or 4 days after birth showed no evidence of difference in Hb values 14 or 21 d after birth.[9] Kernkamp et al observed that increasing the age at which a 150-mg Fe dextran injection was administered from 7 to 14 or 21 d of age decreased hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (Hct) values at 21 and 28 d after birth but showed no evidence of a difference in BW up to 56 d of age.[10]
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