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An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of an additional injection of iron dextran (Uniferon, Pharmacosmos Inc.) administered at d 6 to 8 of age. Crossbred pigs [n = 144; equal barrows and gilts; initial body weight (BW) = 2.86 ± 0.01 kg] from 21 litters were assigned to either the control (CON) or an added-injection treatment (+Fe). Pigs were paired by sex and BW within a litter and randomly assigned to the iron treatment within each pair. All pigs had received a 200 mg Fe intramuscular (IM) injection < 24 h after birth. All pigs were weaned at 22 to 24 days, housed 6 pigs/pen for a total of 12 pens/treatment, and received a common corn-soybean meal diet formulated to meet or exceed the NRC (2012) requirement estimates relative to BW until slaughter. Body weight and feed disappearance were recorded at least biweekly to determine average daily gain (ADG) and feed intake (ADFI). Hemoglobin (Hb) concentrations were measured at birth, initiation of experiment (d 6 to 8), weaning, and at the end of the nursery and finisher periods. At the time of slaughter, 1 pig/pen (n = 12 pigs/treatment) was selected and slaughtered for carcass characteristic measures. Data were subjected to ANOVA by the GLM procedure of SAS; the individual pig served as the experimental unit for BW, Hb, ADG, and carcass characteristics whereas pen served as the experimental unit for ADFI, and gain/feed ratio data. The statistical model included sex, treatment, sex × treatment, and allotment pair for Hb and ADG. There were expected sex effects for ADG but no sex × treatment interactions for any response measures. The +Fe pigs had a greater Hb at weaning (13.1 vs. 10.7 g/dL, P < 0.0001) and end of the nursery (12.1 vs. 11.7 g/dL, P = 0.01) compared with CON pigs (Table 1). During the finisher period, +Fe pigs had a greater ADG (P = 0.05) compared with CON pigs. Overall, pigs receiving the added iron injection had an ~ 4% increase in ADG (P = 0.04) from weaning to slaughter. The cumulative improvement in ADG from weaning to slaughter observed for +Fe group resulted in +Fe pigs having a heavier BW at the end of the experiment (115.77 vs. 112.79 kg; P = 0.04). Following slaughter, +Fe pigs had ~ 2.5% heavier cold carcass weight (82.99 vs. 80.93 kg; P = 0.34) and trimmed loin (10.67 vs. 9.95 kg; P = 0.04) compared with the CON pigs. In conclusion, administering an additional iron injection resulted in greater Hb at weaning and the end of the nursery as well as improved growth performance from weaning to slaughter weight and increased carcass measures at slaughter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two experiments were conducted to investigate effects of feeding graded levels of PBM on performance of weanling pigs and to evaluate feed preference for PBM-based diets relative to spray-dried plasma protein (SDPP)-based diets. A third experiment evaluated PBM in grower diets on performance. In Exp. 1, 120 pigs [body weight (BW) 7.1 ± 0.6 kg] were randomly allotted to 1 of 5 treatments (0, 1, 2, 3, or 5% PBM) and housed 4 pigs/pen for a 28-d growth trial. In Exp. 2, 60 pigs (BW 6.7 ± 1.4 kg) were randomly allotted to 1 of 3 comparisons including: Comparison 1) 0% PBM vs. 2% PBM, Comparison 2) 0% PBM vs. 2% SDPP, and Comparison 3) 2% PBM vs. 2% SDPP and housed 4 pigs/pen for a 28-d preference trial; pigs were provided ad libitum access to feeders; feeder location was switched 3 times/wk. In Exp. 3, 120 pigs (BW 25.9 ± 2.1 kg) were randomly allotted to 1 of 4 treatments (0, 1.25, 2.5 or 5% PBM) and housed 5 pigs/pen for a 41-d growth trial. Increasing PBM from 0 to 5% in Exp. 1 resulted in no differences in ADG (398, 417, 424, 432, and 428 g) or G:F (0.675, 0.686, 0.733, 0.711, and 0.717). Feed preference results (Exp. 2) demonstrated that pigs consumed a higher percentage (76 vs. 24%, P < 0.01) of their total feed intake from the 2% PBM-based diet compared to the 2% SDPP-based diet (Comparison 3). In Exp. 3, increasing PBM for grower pigs resulted in no differences in ADG (1007, 1025, 1002, and 1025 g) or G:F (0.484, 0.472, 0.484, and 0.478). Thus, feeding PBM up to 5% of the diet had no effect on overall performance of nursery or grower pigs, indicating it is an acceptable option as a feed ingredient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the experiment was to critically monitor the blood profile and growth performance of piglets during the lactation period after receiving various amounts of injectable iron at birth. A total of 70, newborn pigs (initial BW 1.51 ± 0.26 kg) from 7 litters were assigned to 1 of 5 iron dosage treatments on d 0. Injectable iron dosage treatments were 0, 50, 100, 200, and 300 mg iron from iron dextran. BW and blood samples were collected on d 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 11, 14, 17, and 22 (weaning) and blood was analyzed for a complete blood count (CBC). Blood was only sampled from 50 of the 70 pigs as the pigs not sampled were used for tissue collection at weaning and postweaning. Data were analyzed as repeated measures using the individual pig as the experimental unit. As early as d 1 after the injection, hemoglobin concentration (Hb) improved (linear: P < 0.05). The Hb response was both linear (P < 0.001) and quadratic (P = 0.01) from d 3 through weaning at d 22. For the 50 and 100 mg iron treatments, Hb peaked at d 6, whereas Hb for the 200 and 300 mg iron treatments peaked on d 17. Other CBC measures followed a similar pattern of improvement from d 2-3 through weaning as the iron dosage increased. Average daily gain was greater (linear: P = 0.04 and quadratic: P = 0.05) from d 0 to 22 which, in turn, led to a linear improvement (P = 0.05) in weaning BW. Increasing iron injection dosage at birth leads to an improved blood profile and greater ADG during the nursing period (d 0-22). The dosage provided also affects the timing and magnitude of the peak Hb response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]