title: Influence of supplementary iron in late pregnancy on the performance of sows and litters.
abstract: On eight farms alternate sows and gilts within three weeks of their expected farrowing date were injected intramuscularly in the neck with 8 ml of an iron (gleptoferron) preparation containing 200 mg iron/ml, or kept as uninjected controls. Data from 513 iron-injected and 488 control animals were used in the analysis of results. Small, but not statistically significant, improvements were observed in the numbers of piglets born alive and dead/litter, the birth weights and weaning weights at three weeks, the numbers of piglets fostered on and off/litter, piglet mortality, the number weaned/litter and the weaning to service interval. The condition scores of the iron-injected sows were marginally below those of the controls at weaning, but their condition scores at farrowing had also been slightly below those of the controls. A summation of these trends would suggest an overall benefit of approximately 0.45 pigs/sow/year in favour of the iron-injected sows.
authors: Cambac JMA Research Ltd, Unit 4, Woodcote, Reading.
authors: H J
authors: HJ
authors: Guise
authors: R H
authors: RH
authors: Penny
mesh_terms: D000747:Anemia, Hypochromic / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D001724:Birth Weight; D005260:Female; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular / Q000662:veterinary; D007501:Iron / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011250:Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014886:Weaning; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D007501:Iron