EVALUATION OF THE EFFICACY OF PERORALLY ADMINISTERED GLUTAMIC ACID-CHELATED IRON AND IRON-DEXTRAN INJECTED SUBCUTANEOUSLY IN DUROC AND NORWEGIAN LANDRACE PIGLETS

The goals of this study were to evaluate the effect of orally administ ered amino acid-chelated iron (Fe) compared to injected Fe-dextran on haematology and weight gain in two different breeds raised under comme rcial conditions. Altogether 92 Duroc (D) pigs and 84 Norwegian Landra ce (L) pigs from two different herds mere included in the study. The d ay after birch the litters were divided in two groups (split litters). Group (Gr.) 1 was given 4 ml of a 50% solution of Super Fe-MAX(R) (52 mg glutamic acid-chelated Fe in a mater solution) orally, while Gr. 2 was subcutaneously (s.c.) injected with Idofer(R) (180 mg Fe as ferri dextran). Until weaning at 5 weeks, all the piglets had free access to a 3% solution of Super Fe-MAX(R) (0.78 mg Fe/ml), access to pelleted food being given from 1 week of age. The piglets were weighed and bled before treatment the day after birth (day 1) and on days 4, 7, 14, 21 and 35. All piglets were weighted on days 28 and 49, while 72 of the L pigs mere also weighed on days 77, 98 and 119. At weaning D pigs in Gr. 1 and Gr. 2 had a mean body weight oi 8.64 kg and 8.30 kg, respect ively, the corresponding figures for the 1, pigs being 10.82 kg and 10 .34 kg. As regards the 72 L pigs followed to day 119, the mean weight in Gr. 1 and Gr. 2 was 80.6 kg and 80.2 kg, respectively. A significan tly lower weight gain in the piglets with a birth weight below 1.2 kg in Gr. 2 compared with Gr. 1 indicated that excess administration of F e to small piglets may have a detrimental effect on weight gain. From day 7 (D pigs) and on days 14 and 21 (L pigs), Gr. 2 had a significant ly higher haemoglobin concentration (Hb) than Gr. 1. Nevertheless, I-I b levels were also adequate in Gr. 1 in both breeds. There was a negat ive correlation between changes in Hb during the first weeks and the i nitial value. Though haematological values seemed to show inter-breed differences, with higher average erythrocyte counts (RBC) and Hb and l ower mean cell volume (MCV) in the D pigs, the ability to avoid Fe def iciency nevertheless appeared to be the same in both breeds.