Benefits of a 2nd injection – improved growth until slaughter A pre-weaning follow-up dose of 200 mg of iron will not only improve the daily gain post weaning, but improve growth until slaughter. In a study from 201816, 4.628 pigs were enrolled into two treatments groups according to birth weight to determine the impact of iron dosage and blood haemoglobin concentration on wean to market weight gain in commercial pigs. 4.628 pigs enrolled into two treatment groups according to birth weight. Group A: 200 mg Uniferon® day 5-7 Group B: 200 mg Uniferon® within 24 hours of life and 200 mg Uniferon® at day 5-7 Haemoglobin measurement on a subset (n = 100) of each treatment group. Weight gain analysis on a subset (n = 1.400) of each treatment group. RESULTS • Group B had significantly higher average Hb concentration • Group B had significantly higher weight gain through 19-WPW • Group B was the only group with a mean Hb in the optimal range (>110 g/l) at weaning • 63% in Group B had optimal Hb at weaning compared to 8% in Group A • Piglets with optimal Hb at weaning weighed 4,45 kg more at 19-WPW compared to piglets with full-scale iron deficiency anaemia
Table 1. Impact of blood haemoglobin concentration at weaning on post weaning weight. Values within columns not connected by the same superscripts differ (p ≤ 0,1 NS). Pigs per group
Weight in kg
Hb status at weaning
A
B
Full-scale iron deficiency anaemia
26
5
29,03a
98,43a
Sub-clinical anaemia
65
28
30,84b
99,79ab
Optimal
8
63
32,66c 102,51b
8-WPW 19-WPW
Table 2. Effect of Uniferon® dose on growth until slaughter. Values within columns not connected by the same superscripts differ (p ≤ 0,05*). Weight in kg Birth
Wean
8-WPW
19-WPW
A
1,36a
5,44b
29,03b
97,07a
B
1,36a
5,44a
29,89a
98,43b
Group
Piglets with optimal haemoglobin at weaning weighed 4,45 kg more at 19 weeks post weaning compared to piglets with full-scale iron deficiency anaemia.
16