New born piglet’s organism lacks iron for normal growth and living. Sow’s milk supply needs in iron by 10–12%:the standard is 7-8mg of hemoglobin per 100 ml of blood, while piglets have 1mg per 100 ml. That is why the most important task for pig producers to provide piglets with necessary amount of iron in their first days of life. Otherwise they will use their reserves during the first 10 days and will suffer anemia. The symptoms of anemia are skin pallor and mucosae, gastrointestinal distress. Very often the gastrointestinal distress is worsened by pneumonia which leads to piglets death.

When pigs were kept outside the problem with providing them with iron was not so severe because they could dig into the soil and get what they need from it. In terms of modern pig production the piglets do not have natural access to iron, as they are kept on concrete, steel, rubber or plastic floor. Farmers use different methods to fill up the lack of iron: they add the solution of iron sulfate to drinking water (or spray it on the tits of the sow), add it to the powder feeds, inject the piglets with iron, or give it orally to piglets in the form of paste.

Each mentioned way has its advantages and disadvantages. The first two are not very popular as they don’t supply the needs of piglets in iron completely. It happens because they eat too little feeds and drink too little water in that period. That’s why we will talk about iron injections and pastelike medications.

Injections

Injection is a classical method of supplying piglets with iron. The piglets are injected intramuscularly or subcutaneously with150–200 mgof iron on the second or fifth day of their life. Such doze of iron is needed to provide growth up to 4.5 kg, in case of 90% accessibility of preparation.

Although injection provides piglets with iron, such method has some drawbacks.

Learn more about:

— Threats when injecting piglets with iron;

— Alternatives to iron injections offered by modern market;

— The advantages of pastelike preparations;

— The ideal period for providing piglets with iron;

in the full version of the magazine "Profitable Pig Production", №1 (7), 2012.