Abstract A total of 756 newborn pigs (DNA 600 × 241) from two farrowing groups, including 63 litters, were used in a 17-d study to evaluate the effects of injectable iron source and administration program on growth performance and hemoglobin levels. One day after birth, piglets were divided into two body weight groups within each litter. Lightest and heaviest pigs were removed such that the heaviest six pigs from the light group and the lightest six pigs from the heavy group were allotted in a randomized complete block design to one of six treatments. The six treatments consisted of two sources of injectable iron (iron dextran, Anem-x 100, Aspen Vet, Loveland, CO; gleptoferron, Gleptoforte 200, CEVA Animal Health, Lenexa, KS) administered on d 1 at either 100 or 200 mg per pig or 100 mg administered on d 1 and an additional 100 mg administered on d 11 of lactation. Piglets were weighed on d 1, 5, 11, and 17 of age to calculate ADG. Hemoglobin values were determined for 6 pigs from the same body weight block (one pig for each treatment) per litter on d 5, 11, and 17. Subsequently, 298 pigs from the second farrowing group were weighed and 154 were bled to determine hemoglobin values on d 18 after weaning. During the nursing period, no significant iron source × program interactions were observed for BW, ADG or hemoglobin values. Piglet BW and ADG were not affected by iron source or program during lactation. However, hemoglobin values were greater on d 11 (P = 0.024) and 17 (P = 0.001) for pigs injected with gleptoferron compared to those injected with iron dextran. Iron injection program also impacted hemoglobin values with d 11 hemoglobin being greater (P 0.05) for those that received 200 mg on d 1 compared to pigs receiving 100 mg. On d 17 of lactation (weaning), hemoglobin was lowest (P 0.05) for pigs that received 100 mg on d 1 compared to those that received 200 mg on d 1 or those that received 100 mg on d 1 and an additional 100 mg injection on d 11. Injectable iron source and program had no affect on hemoglobin or ADG measured 18 d after weaning. In summary, gleptoferron resulted in greater hemoglobin levels than those receiving iron dextran and administration of 100 mg iron on d 1 resulted in the lowest hemoglobin levels compared to the administration of 200 mg on d 1 or 100 mg administered on both d 1 and 11. Neither source nor iron injection program impacted piglet growth performance during lactation or postweaning growth and hemoglobin levels.
Piazza et al. (Wed,) studied this question.