Parenteral Iron Administration to Sows during Gestation or Lactation

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Abstract
The intramuscular injection of 2 or 10 mg of iron (supplied as iron-dextran) per pound of body weight into the sow on the 100th day of gestation or on the 6th to 9th day of lactation failed to prevent anemia in the pigs. Oral administration of 400 mg of ferrous iron produced higher (P<0.01) hemoglobin levels in anemic pigs than an equal quantity of ferric iron, but neither source at the levels given could be considered satisfactory. Hemoglobin levels of anemic pigs were restored to normal within one week after the intramuscular injection of 150 mg of iron supplied as iron-dextran. The iron content of milk was not significantly affected by intramuscular injection into the sow of 2 or 10 mg of iron per pound of body weight during lactation. The average value was 2.9 mg/l before injection and 2.8, 2.6 and 3.3 at 1, 6 and 24 hours after injection, respectively.