title: Effects of intramuscular injections of folic acid on serum folates, haematological status and growth performance of growing-finishing pigs.
abstract: In a first trial, 48 piglets aged 5 weeks, grouped into 6 blocks of 8 pigs each, were used to determine the effect of intramuscular injections of folic acid on serum folates, haematological status, growth performance and carcass characteristics. Each block consisted of 2 pens of 4 pigs; in one pen, pigs received, by weekly intramuscular injections, an increasing volume of a solution containing 5 mg/ml folic acid, while in the other the animals were non-injected controls. The concentration of serum folates in treated pigs was 19% higher (P = 0.005) than in controls. There was no effect of treatment (P greater than or equal to 0.29) on haemoglobin and haematocrit. During the starting period, (5-11 weeks) average daily gain was not influenced by folic acid injections but feed intake and feed conversion were decreased (P = 0.07 and P = 0.05 respectively). No effect of folic acid (P greater than or equal to 0.23) was noted from 11-23 weeks of age, suggesting that the supplement was suboptimal during the growing-finishing period. In a second trial, 72 piglets aged 9 weeks were assigned to 6 blocks of 12 animals each. The following treatments were randomly distributed in each block according to a 2 x 3 factorial design: level of feeding (restricted vs ad libitum) and weekly intramuscular injections of increasing volume of solutions containing either 0, 15 or 30 mg/ml of folic acid. The variables studied were the same as in Trial 1. Concentrations of serum folates varied quadratically (P = 0.0001) with the dose injected, a plateau being attained with injections of 15 mg/ml. There was no effect of treatment (P = 0.043) on haemoglobin and haematocrit. During the growing period (9-15 weeks), no effect (P greater than or equal to 0.72) of folic acid was noted on growth performance. However, during the finishing period (15-21 weeks), folic acid given at a dose of 30 mg/ml decreased (P = 0.006) feed intake while no effect (P greater than or equal to 0.13) of the vitamin supplementation was noted on average daily gain and feed conversion. In both trials, there was no effect (P greater than or equal to 0.21) of any treatments on carcass characteristics. These results indicate that a supplement of folic acid administered by intramuscular injections was effective in increasing concentration of serum folates of starting or growing-finishing pigs. This supplement may be associated with a decrease in feed intake.
authors.affiliation: Research Station, Agriculture Canada, Lennoxville, Quebec.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Matte
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Girard
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bilodeau
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Robert
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005526:Food, Formulated; D006400:Hematocrit; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D011897:Random Allocation; D013552:Swine / Q000097:blood / Q000254:growth & development*; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D005492:Folic Acid