THE EFFECT OF AN IRON GLYCINE CHELATE SUPPLEMENT ON THE HAEMOGLOBIN AND THE HAEMATOCRIT VALUES AND REPRODUCTIVE TRAITS OF SOWS

Abstract

The present study was performed to investigate, whether or not, iron glycine chelate given to sows, in late pregnancy and lactation, could enhance reproductive traits. A supplement of 62.5 g/ton of iron glycine chelate given in the sows feed for 0 (control), 2, 4, 6 or 8 weeks prior to farrowing was provided. The haemoglobin (Hb) and haematocrit (Hct) values of sows and their piglets, the litter size at birth and at weaning, the birth weight, %stillborn, %mummified fetuses, the growth rate of the suckling piglets, the weaning weight of the piglets and the proportion of anemic sows and piglets were measured. On average, the Hct was 33.7 ± 2.7% in sows and 32.2 ± 3.9% in piglets, while the Hb was 11.3 ± 0.9 g/dl in sows and 10.8 ± 1.3 g/dl in piglets. The proportion of sows and piglets with Hb levels below 8 g/dl (anemia) was low and not significantly different between the groups. No evidence of eperythrozoonosis was observed in either sows or piglets. The Hct and Hb values for the sows and piglets were positively correlated. The number or piglets born alive/litter, the piglet birth weight and the number of piglets at weaning did not differ significantly between the groups. The proportion of stillborn and mummified fetuses per litter were highest in the control group. The growth rate of the suckling piglets in the treatment groups was significantly greater than in the control group. This indicated that a supplement of iron chelate in the sow’s diet might have a beneficial effect on the growth rate of the suckling piglets.