PSII-15 Effect of Secondary Iron Injection to Suckling Pigs on Growth Performance and Hematocrit Level in Suckling Period

Abstract

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of secondary iron injection in suckling pigs on growth performance and hematocrit level in the suckling period. At d 1 of age, a total of 24 suckling pigs from 4 litters were allotted into 3 treatments within litter (8 pigs per treatment) based on body weight and gender as follows: 1) Control: no additional iron injection, 2) Iron100: secondary intramuscular injection of 100 mg iron-dextran, and 3) Iron200: secondary intramuscular injection of 200 mg iron-dextran. The initial 200 mg iron-dextran was injected intramuscularly on d 1 of age with a second injection given to the pigs on 11 d before weaning (d 16 of age). All piglets were weaned at d 27 of age. Body weight and hematocrit level were measured at d 0, 7, and 11 (weaning) post-injection. There was no significant difference in growth performance among the treatments. The Iron100 and Iron200 treatments had greater hematocrit levels than the Control treatment at d 7 and 11 post-injection (P < 0.05) with a greater hematocrit level in the Iron200 treatment than the Iron100 treatment at d 11 post-injection (P < 0.05; 34.25, 38.75, and 41.19% for Control, Iron100 and Iron200, respectively). For changes in hematocrit level, the Iron100 and Iron200 treatments had greater increases than the Control treatment in d 0-7 and d 0-11 post-injection (P < 0.05; -1.31, 4.31, and 5.75%) with no difference between the Iron100 and Iron200 treatments. In d 7-11 post-injection, the Iron200 treatment had a greater increase in hematocrit level than the Iron100 treatment with an intermediate value in the Control treatment (P < 0.05; 0.44, -0.06 and 1.38%). In conclusion, the secondary iron injection to suckling piglets did not affect growth performance until weaning whereas the injections increased hematocrit levels resulting in a greater value at weaning in the higher level of second iron injection.