If pigs don’t have adequate iron, regardless of your herd’s health, management, facility or genetics, they can’t perform to their maximum potential, says James Pierce, nutritionist and owner of J.L. Pierce Consulting in Nicholasville, Ky.
A year ago, Pierce and Merlin Lindemann, professor of swine nutrition and management at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, presented research at the American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV) annual meeting showing that two, 200-mg doses of injectable iron have the potential for great added value in a pork operation.
The optimized iron dosage results in a better outcome on body weight and average daily gain, in addition to better body temperature regulation and intestinal health in pigs.
Francisco Gomez Cruz, a veterinary student at the University of Saskatchewan, decided to take that study to the field and explore if a 400-mg iron protocol would result in the same growth characteristics noted in previous studies but in a commercial production setting. His study showed impressive results and he presented his findings at the 2024 AASV annual meeting.
A Look at the Study
The study took place on a 5,000-head sow farm in Tennessee. A group of 590 pigs from Tosh Farms were split into three treatment groups. Enrollment consisted of selecting three gilts and three barrows per litter. Piglets selected within the litter were similar in size and weight. Piglets were blocked by sex, then randomly allocated into three treatment groups.
The groups received one of three treatments: a single 200-mg injection of iron dextran at 24 hours of age; and two groups each receiving a total of 400 mg given as two, 200-mg doses of iron dextran between 24 hours of age and the time of processing (5-7 days)
Hemoglobin (Hb) was measured using a handheld meter and body weight was measured for all pigs at enrollment, 6 days of age, weaning, end of nursery and at marketing. Pigs were weaned at an average of 22 days of age and moved into a 4,800-head wean-to-finish site that was double stocked until pigs were approximately 9 weeks of age. All pigs were housed in one barn on the site and were randomly distributed across all pens within that barn.
What Did They Discover?
“The main discovery was that both groups receiving 400 mg of iron dextran performed pretty much the same – and way better than the control group,” explains Gomez Cruz. “It’s definitely an option for producers to consider. Based on the protocols, there is flexibility in the timing both doses can be given, but as long as both are given by 10 days of age, two, 200mg doses are better than a single dose of 200 mg.”
One of the greatest takeaways in his mind is that pork producers can have flexibility based on their protocols and farming schedules when it comes to administering 400 mg of iron dextran.
The economics are superb, Gomez Cruz says. At weaning, Hb in pigs that received 400 mg was increased compared to the control (12.8., 12.7 vs. 11.8 g/dL). And that led to pigs that received two doses being 1.9 to 2.3 lb heavier than controls at the end of nursery.
Most importantly, at the end of the wean-to-finish period, pigs that received 400 mg of iron dextran in either group were 7 lb. to 8 lb. heavier than those that received the control. That equates to a 0.10 lb. per day more average daily gain regardless of dosing times.
Gomez Cruz notes that as long as the extra dose of iron dextran is implemented before 10 days of age, producers will see the results.
The question is, when do you handle pigs and where can that second dose fit into your operation? This research shows there is flexibility in the timing and producers can work with their veterinarian to determine what is best on their farm. It is important to note it is not recommended to exceed 1 mL of iron dextran in a single injection site due to the viscosity of the product and the propensity for leakage at higher volumes.
Is it Too Good to Be True?
Seth Krantz, DVM, veterinarian at Tosh Farms, admits it’s hard to justify spending extra money now. He also says it’s hard not to wonder if it’s a little too good to be true.
“Most of us are skeptical in this business,” Krantz says.
He says the Tosh herd was a high health herd and he pointed out that all groups had relatively good Hb levels at weaning. But even with good Hb levels, they still saw a nice weight response out of the 400-mg groups.
“I would think if you had more health-challenged pigs there could be additional benefits. But we still saw an additional boost in our healthy pigs,” he explains.
Before making a change, it’s always important to consider all ramifications, Krantz says. Tosh Farms recently moved to giving piglets two doses of iron dextran. He says they give one 200-mg dose of iron dextran at day 1 and a second 200-mg dose at day 5.
“Any change in process always comes with its own set of considerations. We certainly have some farms that are quite stable from a human standpoint. We have others that have more fluctuation and turnover,” he says. “That should be a consideration when you are thinking about implementing changes in any process on the farm.”
Gomez Cruz says the approximately $6 per pig improvement in profit (or minimizing losses depending on the market) is worth considering.
“Everything comes down to how can you get the most money out of the pigs without spending too much?” Gomez Cruz says. “I feel like this is a great study for producers because you are spending a max of a $0.25 more than you are already spending with iron dextran injections and it will result in more money at the end of harvest.”
Read More:
Two Doses are Better Than One: Research Shows Value Lies in Iron
