Effect of an oral starter dose of iron on haematology and weight gain in piglets having voluntary access to glutamic acid-chelated iron solution.

Six litters of Norwegian Landrace piglets were included in the study. The day after birth (day 1), half of the piglets (split litters) were given 52 mg glutamic acid-chelated Fe (4 ml of a 50% solution of Super Fe-MAX) perorally. All the piglets had free access to a 3% solution of Super Fe-MAX from this day until weaning at 5 weeks. The piglets were weighed and blood samples collected on days 1, 4, 7, 14, 21 and 35, and weighed only on days 28 and 49. The production of erythrocytes and haemoglobin was greater in the first week after birth in piglets given extra iron perorally on day 1, compared to those with voluntary access to iron. The extra peroral iron administration did not prevent some of the piglets from becoming anaemic later. Weight gain was similar in the 2 groups.