The Effects of Bodyweight-Basis Iron Injection to Newborn Piglets on Pre-And Post-Weaning Growth Performance and Hematological Parameters

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of iron injection to newborn pigs based on birth weight on pre- and post-weaning growth performance and hematological variables. At d 1-3 of age (d 0 of experiment), a total of 24 piglets (initial body weight: 1.55 ± 0.11 kg) from 4 litters were allotted into 3 treatments within litter based on body weight and sex as follows: 1) Fe100: 100 mg iron at d 0 of experiment, 2) Fe200: 200 mg Fe at d 0 of experiment, and 3) FeBW: 125 mg Fe per kg body weight at d 0 of experiment. The iron-dextran was injected intramuscularly at the assigned levels based on treatments. The pigs were housed by litter in the suckling and nursery periods with a common corn-soybean meal-based diet during the entire nursery period. Body weight, hemoglobin concentrations and hematocrit were measured at d 0, 10, 17, 24 (weaning), 31 and 38 after the iron injection. There was no difference in pre- and post-weaning growth performance (10.91, 11.53, and 10.90 kg body weight at d 38 of experiment for the Fe100, Fe200, and FeBW treatments, respectively). Compared with the control treatment, the hemoglobin concentrations were greater in the Fe200 and FeBW treatments (P < 0.06) at d 17, 24, and 31 (12.43, 13.99, and 14.65 g/dL for the Fe100, Fe200, and FeBW treatments, respectively) of experiment with greater values in the FeBW treatment than the Fe200 treatment (P = 0.08; tendency) at d 31 of experiment. Hematocrit levels were greater in the Fe200 and FeBW treatments than the control treatment at d 10 (P = 0.09) and 31 of experiment (P < 0.05; 30.97, 35.57, and 37.07% for the Fe100, Fe200, and FeBW, respectively) and tended to be greater (P < 0.10) in the FeBW treatment than the control treatment at d 17 (31.71, 33.81, and 38.44% for the Fe100, Fe200, and FeBW, respectively) and 24 of experiment. However, there were no differences in hemoglobin concentrations and hematocrit at d 38 of experiment. In conclusion, there was no beneficial effect of iron injection based on body weight in pre- and post-weaning growth performance whereas it had a potential to slightly increase hemoglobin concentrations and hematocrit when the iron was injected based on body weight of newborn piglets.