Injectable Iron-Dextran and Several Oral Iron Treatments for the Prevention of Iron-Deficiency Anemia of Baby Pigs

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Abstract
Two experiments were conducted to compare the effectiveness of injectable iron-dextran and various oral iron treatments in preventing iron-deficiency anemia of suckling baby pigs reared in confinement. A third experiment was designed to determine the level of iron as iron-dextran necessary for maximum growth rate, both for pigs weaned at 3 weeks of age and for pigs allowed to nurse to 8 weeks of age. In Experiment I a single 2 ml. intramuscular injection of iron-dextran (100 mg. of elemental iron) administered on the second day of age was superior to weekly oral doses of an iron-copper paste (28 mg. of iron as ferrous sulfate and 2 mg. of copper as cupric sulfate) in preventing iron-deficiency anemia. In Experiment II, 2 ml. of iron-dextran (100 mg. of iron) injected on the day of birth, fresh soil provided daily or an iron-copper paste (40 mg. of iron as ferrous sulfate and 2.5 mg. of copper as cupric sulfate) administered twice weekly were effective in preventing anemia. Body weight gains from 0 to 5 weeks of age averaged 16.3, 15.9 and 15.3 lb., respectively. In Experiment III, 2 ml. of iron-dextran (100 mg. of iron) injected on the day of birth was required for maximum rate of growth when pigs were weaned at 3 weeks of age, whereas injections of 100 mg. of iron on the day of birth followed by 100 mg. on the 21st day of age were required for maximum growth by pigs nursing until 8 weeks of age. Copyright © . .

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