Iron deficiency | Piglets deficient in the nursery stage led to lighter weights and susceptibility to disease
Increased productivity from modern pigs may result in more anemic animals, says a veterinarian.
Recommendations for iron supplementation were established decades ago, Robert Friendship of the University of Guelph told the recent Saskatchewan Pork Industry Symposium.
“Here’s another thing that we do day in and day out and we’ve always done it the same way,” he said.
“These sorts of things, we sometimes have to stand back once and a while and just question whether we need to change it. Is it still doing the same job?”
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Under current guidelines, piglets will receive 200 milligrams of iron supplementation within their first few days of life and receive more in rations once in the nursery a few weeks later.
“The pig is different than it was 35 years ago,” Friendship said in a later interview. “This isn’t a very obvious clinical anemia. It’s if you take the blood, they’re a little anemic.”
Friendship referred to a U of G study that surveyed piglets on 20 Ontario farms. In the pre-weaning group, the study found six percent of piglets were anemic. Three weeks later, close to 20 percent were anemic and more than 40 percent were iron deficient.
“What surprised us is they’re a little anemic when they’re weaned and there’s even more of them that are anemic in the nursery,” he said.
“You think they’d be getting lots of iron in the feed and have rectified itself by then.”
Friendship said this could be because of poor iron absorption, pigs not eating well or complications with zinc oxide in the rations.
The anemic pigs in the nursery were about one kilogram lighter than other pigs. Deficiency can make the animal more susceptible to disease.
Friendship said the larger, fastest growing and most profitable animals that are at the highest risk. Pigs that are part of larger litters are also susceptible.
“I think the level of anemia is high enough that people should think about doing things differently,” he said. “I suggested another injection at the time of weaning. It’s a straight, simple way to do it.”
Iron deficiency is determined through blood samples. Hemoglobin levels of less than 90 grams per litre are equated with anemia. Levels of 90 to 100 grams indicate deficiency.
“I would promote having a discussion with the veterinarian once and a while about the routine procedures and what’s working and maybe to assess whether everything is the way it should be or if there should be some fine-tuning,” said Friendship.
