Sub-Clinical and Full-Scale Iron Deficiency Anemia

The Profit Killer

$2.77 may not sound like much, but it really adds up when you consider that’s how much profit you could be losing due to iron deficiencies for each baby pig you eventually ship to market.

  1. Perri A et al. An investigation of iron deficiency and anemia in piglets and the effect of iron status at weaning on post-weaning performance. JSHAP. 2016;24:10–20.
  2. Fredericks L et al. Evaluation of the impact of iron dosage on post- weaning weight gain, and mortality. AASV. 2018;315
  3. Olsen, C. (2019) The economics of iron deficiency anemia on US swine production: An annual impact of 46-335 million US dollars. American Association of Swine Veterinarians. Orlando. Florida.

Anemia and Blood Hemoglobin Levels

When baby pigs exhaust their iron stores, sub-clinical and full-scale iron deficiency anemia symptoms will become evident via incrementally lower blood hemoglobin assays, respectively.

Treatment of baby pigs with Uniferon 200 injectable iron is the most practical, rapid, accurate and effective method to treat and prevent sub-clinical and full-scale iron deficiency anemia.

We note, with emphasis, that Uniferon 200 is the only brand you can trust for providing injectable iron to baby pigs that does not include measurable levels of lead or arsenic toxic impurities.

  1. Radke, S.L., Olsen, C.W., Ensley, S.M., (2018) Elemental impurities in injectable iron products for swine. The Journal of Swine Health and Production, 26(3).
For optimal baby pig health and performance, hemoglobin levels must be at or above 110 g/L

Optimize Growth Rates in Baby Pigs

Elevated levels of hemoglobin are known to benefit oxygen transport, carbon dioxide elimination, immune function, vigorous growth, vitality and metabolism in baby pigs. A recent study shows important associations of hematological status at weaning and weight gain post-weaning, leading experts to recommend postweaning growth requires hemoglobin levels at or above 110 g/L.

Increasing blood levels of Hb showed a positive association with growth rates of baby pigs post-weaning:

An increase in 10g/l of Hb at weaning led to a 17.2 g/head/day weight gain increase in baby pigs in the 3 weeks post weaning (Bhattarai, 2015);

Average daily gain increased by 20.1 g/head/day with a second 200 mg dose vs single dose (p = 0.012) in the 15 days post-weaning (Haugegaard, 2008);

Baby pigs that were anemic at weaning were 0.82 kg lighter 3 weeks post-weaning compared to those with optimal hemoglobin at weaning (Perri, 2015); and

Post-weaning ADG increased in a linear fashion (p < 0.02) in response to increasing iron doses (0 to 300 mg iron dextran) from 0 to 52 days of age (Chevalier, 2021).

Improvement of growth rates in baby pigs

Maximize Nursery Weight Gain

F.A.C.T. - Farm Anaemia Certification & Training

Our F.A.C.T program is designed to give swine producers like you a complete view of the iron status of your baby pigs. At no cost to you, this program will give you complete confidence when it comes to assessing the hemoglobin blood levels and the potential sub-clinical and full-scale iron deficiency anemia status of your herd.

Assessment

Objective, real time, on-site blood hemoglobin measurements on your farm

Treatment

Including iron requirement calculation on individual baby pig basis, field training, and iron injection technique training

Overview

A comprehensive evaluation of baby pig nutrition, health, and welfare status