THE EFFECT OF CERTAIN ORAL AND INJECTABLE IRON PREPARATIONS ON THE BLOOD OF BABY PIGS

Abstract

Haemoglobin levels, haematocrit values and erythrocyte counts were determined at weekly intervals from 3 to 45 days of age for 60 pigs which received iron in the form of: injectable iron-dextran (A); injectable iron-dextran (B); injectable ferric ammonium citrate; oral iron in the form of paste, or sods sprinkled with iron sulphate. The iron-dextran and ferric ammonium citrate compounds were administered at 3 days of age as single injections supplying 100 mgm. of iron and 30 mgm. of ferric ammonium citrate respectively. The paste was administered at 3, 10, 17 and 24 days of age. Sods were fed twice a week during the period of 3 days to 28 days of age.The sod treatment maintained normal blood values while the iron-dextran compounds and the paste resulted in values somewhat below normal, although visible evidence of anaemia was not apparent. Blood values for the group receiving ferric ammonium citrate were extremely low and two pigs on this treatment died at 42 and 60 days of age. Both exhibited severe anaemia.Significant differences were obtained in weaning weights. The heaviest pigs were those receiving sods; the lightest pigs those receiving injectable ferric ammonium citrate. The effect of the different treatments on growth was not apparent until after 21 days of age.