Iron Injection in Sow and Piglets on Blood Profiles, Milk Composition and Performance of Piglets

Abstract

Improving the reproductive performance of sows and the growth performance of piglets by injecting iron has been a popular research topic around the world. Several studies have reported that iron-deficient sows have lower piglet birth weights, along with an elevated risk of piglet stillbirth. Iron levels have been shown to impact the pre-weaning survival of piglets. There have been various research investigating different methods and periods of iron injection in weaning piglets. However, no studies have been conducted to improve the reproductive performance of sows and the growth performance of piglets by injecting iron into sows in late pregnancy. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the effects of iron injection during late gestation on the reproductive performance of sows, growth performance of nursing piglets, milk composition, and blood profiles. Additionally, the study aimed to determine the appropriate form of iron injection for weaning piglets. A total of 60 F1 multiparous sows (Yorkshire × Landrace) with average body weight (BW) of 259.1 ± 3.97 kg, backfat thickness of 25.7 ± 0.63 mm, and parity of 5.20 ± 0.281 were allotted to one of 4 treatments considering BW, backfat thickness, and parity in a complete randomized design (CRD) with 15 replicates. Treatments were 1) SNPG (no iron injection on sows and gleptoferron), 2) SNPD (no iron injection on sows and iron dextran), 3) SYPG (iron injection on sows and gleptoferron), and 4) SYPD (iron injection on sows and iron dextran). As a result, there were no significant differences in body weight and backfat thickness of sows measured within 24 hours of farrowing and on the 21st day of lactation when sows were injected with iron on day 110 of gestation. Iron injection to sows in late gestation did not have any significant effect on the number of total born, born alive, stillbirth piglets and litter performance. Iron injection to sows in late gestation or providing piglets with different types of iron did not show any significant differences in red blood cells, white blood cells, hematocrit, hemoglobin concentration, platelet, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, or iron concentration in the serum of sows and piglets Additionally, milk composition of lactating sows was not affected by iron injections. Consequently, SNPG treatment with iron injection to piglets but no injection to sows is considered hindering body condition of sows, reproductive performance, and blood profiles, piglets blood profiles, and milk composition.

본 실험은 철분주사가 모돈의 체형변화, 번식성적, 포유자돈 성적, 돈유성분 및 혈액성상에 미치는 영향을 검증하고자 수행되었다. 본 실험은 평균체중이 259.1 ± 3.59kg인 2원 교잡종 (Yorkshire × Landrace) F1 모돈 60두를 선발하여 4처리, 15반복, 반복 당 한 두씩 완전임의 배치법(CRD)으로 배치하였으며, 처리구는 모돈 철분주사 여부와 자돈의 철분제 철 공급형태에 따라 1) A (모돈 철분 주사 X +gleptoferron) 2) B(모돈 철분 주사 X + iron dextran) , 3) C (모돈 철분 주사 O + gleptoferron) 4) D(모돈 철분 주사 O + iron dextran)로 나뉘었다. 모돈의 철분주사제는 gleptoferron을 사용하였다. 실험결과, 임신기 110일령에 모돈에게 철분주사를 투여하여도 분만 24시간이내 및 포유 21일령의 체중 및 등지방 두께에서 유의적인 차이가 나타나지 않았다 (P>0.05). 또한, 포유기 모돈의 사료섭취량에서도 유의적인 차이가 나타나지 않았다 (P>0.05). 번식성적 및 자돈성적에 있어서 임신 말기 모돈에게 철분주사를 투여하고, 포유자돈에게 다른 종류의 철분주사를 투여하여도 총 산자 수, 사산두수, 생존자돈 수, 포유개시 두수, 이유두수, 복당 생시체중 및 복당 이유체중에서 처리구 간 유의적인 차이가 나타나지 않았다 (P>0.05). 결론적으로, 임신 말기 모돈에게 철분주사를 투여하지 않고, 포유자돈에게 철분을 투여하였을 때 모돈의 체형변화, 번식성적 및 자돈성적에서 부정적인 영향을 미치지 않을 것으로 사료 된다.