Long-term Effect of Split Iron Dextran/Hemoglobin Supplementation on Erythrocyte and Iron Status, Growth Performance, Carcass Parameters, and Meat Quality of Polish Large White and 990 Line Pigs

Mateusz Szudzik,Marian Kamyczek,Marek Pieszka,Rafał R. Starzyński,Ewa Smuda,Rafał Mazgaj,Paweł Lipiński,Aneta Jończy

doi:10.1007/s12011-019-01950-w

Abstract

Heme is an efficient dietary iron supplement applied in humans and animals to prevent iron deficiency anemia (IDA). We have recently reported that the use of bovine hemoglobin as a dietary source of heme iron efficiently counteracts the development of IDA in young piglets, which is the common problem in pig industry. Here, we used maternal Polish Large White and terminal sire breed (L990) pigs differing in traits for meat production to evaluate the long-term effect of split supplementation with intramuscularly administered small amount of iron dextran and orally given hemoglobin on hematological indices, iron status, growth performance, slaughter traits, and meat quality at the end of fattening. Results of our study show that in pigs of both breeds split supplementation was effective in maintaining physiological values of RBC and blood plasma iron parameters as well as growth performance, carcass parameters, and meat quality traits. Our results prove the effectiveness of split iron supplementation of piglets in a far-reach perspective.

Highlights

Postnatal iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a widespread pathology in livestock affecting especially suckling piglets [1, 2]
The Prestarter Wigor 1 Plus feed was offered to piglets from day 5 to day 45 after birth. Piglets from both breeds were allotted into the following 4 experimental groups (7 piglets per group) on the basis of balanced body weight at day 3 after birth: Polish Large White (PLW) and L990, piglets intramuscularly injected with 100 mg Fe/kg b.w. in the form of iron dextran, FeDex (Ferran 100, Vet-Agro, Lublin, Poland) on day 3 after birth; PLW and L990, piglets intramuscularly injected with 40 mg Fe/kg b.w in the form of FeDex on day 3, and supplemented orally from day 3 to day 45 with bovine hemoglobin (Bovogen, East Keilor, Australia) added to the feed in the proportion 38 g hemoglobin per 1 kg of feed
In addition, we show that main meat quality parameters such as loin “eye” area (LEA), color/brightness of meat, backfat thickness, and heme iron level of longissimus thoracis et lumborum in pigs of both breeds receiving split FeDex/heme supplementation are very similar to those measured in at slaughter in animals traditionally supplemented with high amount of FeDex (Table 2 and Fig. 5)

Summary

Introduction

Postnatal iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a widespread pathology in livestock affecting especially suckling piglets [1, 2]. The common cause of iron deficiency in newborn piglets is a striking imbalance between high iron demand and inadequate iron supply. Huge iron requirements during the first few weeks after birth (7–16 mg Fe/piglet/day) [2, 3] result from the selection of piglets for a large litter size, high birth weight, rapid growth and in consequence greater blood volume, and increased red blood cells (RBC) count. Considering that RBC are the largest reservoir of iron in the body [2], meeting iron requirements for erythropoiesis from natural. Pig Hybridization Centre, National Research Institute of Animal Production, Pawłowice, Poland iron-deficient sources such as hepatic iron stores [2, 4] and sow’s milk [5, 6] is unreachable in suckling piglets [7]. Without iron supplementation piglets regularly become anemic within 2 weeks postpartum [2]

Methods

Results

Conclusion