Search

Prevention of Fe deficiency was studied with eight Pitman-Moore miniature pigs in each of seven groups. From 5 to 33 days of age the animals received identical cereal-milk diets except for Fe content: diet 1, no added Fe (8 ppm); diet 2, ferrous sulfate; diet 3, catalytically reduced Fe; diet 4, electrolytic Fe powder; diet 5, sodium Fe pyrophosphate; diet 6, ferripolyphosphate powder; diet 7, disodium Fe EDTA. Diets 2–7 provided 64 to 69 ppm of supplemental Fe. Body weight and gain in weight of pigs fed diet 1 did not differ significantly from those of pigs fed diets 2–7; however, gain in body weight between 21 and 28 days of the feeding trial was significantly less in pigs fed diets 1 or 5 than in pigs fed diets 2, 6 or 7. Final Hb and hematocrit values were less than initial values in pigs fed diets 1, 3, 4 and 5. The change in Hb, hematocrit and total Hb Fe of pigs fed diets 1, 3 or 5 differed significantly from those of pigs fed diets 2, 6 or 7. The efficiency with which supplemental Fe was incorporated into Hb ranged between 27 and 30% in pigs fed diets 2, 6 or 7, was 21% in pigs fed diet 4 and approximately 10% in pigs fed diets 3 or 5. Pigs fed diet 1 differed from those fed the other diets in the following manner: liver weight was significantly less; weights of spleen, heart and kidney were significantly greater; less of an intraperitoneal injection of 59Fe was retained in Hb and in organs; of the retained 59Fe, significantly less was found in Hb and significantly more in tissues. Fe status as measured by Hb and hematocrit appeared to be inversely correlated with 59Fe concentration in liver, spleen, kidney and heart.

Carcass composition of 62 Pitman-Moore miniature pigs was determined: four males and four females at birth, 7, 14 and 21 days of age and five males and five females at 28, 42 and 56 days of age. The pigs were nursed in litters of two (one litter) to five (seven litters). Serum chemical values were determined at each age except birth. Although the mean body weights of male pigs were greater than those of females at each age, statistically significant sex-related differences in growth or carcass composition were not detected. Activity of alkaline phosphatase in serum decreased significantly with increasing age, presumably reflecting the greater rate of bone growth of the younger animals. Mean concentrations of cholesterol and urea nitrogen were significantly greater in sera of female than of male pigs. Percentage of fat in the carcass increased rapidly with increasing age—from approximately 1.7% at birth to 11% at age 7 days and 24% at age 28 days. Thereafter, percentage of fat in the carcass declined slightly. In fat-free carcasses percentage of water was significantly greater and that of protein significantly less at birth than at age 56 days. Percentages of calcium and sodium in the fat-free carcass decreased after birth, reaching minimal concentrations at age 21 days. Concentration of potassium in fat-free carcass increased rapidly during the first 14 days after birth. Data concerning sow-reared Pitman-Moore miniature pigs have been compared with published data concerning conventional and miniature sow-reared pigs.