Why do piglets need iron supplementation? What are the methods of iron supplementation

Iron is an essential substance for oxygen transport in the animal body. When piglets are born, the iron stored in their bodies is about 30 ? 50 mg, and they need about 7 mg per day for growth, while piglets can only obtain about 1 mg of supplementation from breast milk. If piglets are not given iron supplementation, the iron reserves in their bodies will be depleted around 1 week of age, and the piglets will suffer from anemia. Piglets become listless, have reduced appetite, pale skin and visible mucous membranes, rough and dull coat, diarrhea, and stunted growth. Sick piglets gradually become emaciated and weak, and in severe cases this leads to death. Therefore, piglets must be given iron supplementation as early as possible. The specific methods are as follows:

(1) Iron-copper mixture supplementary feeding method: Dissolve 2.5 g of ferrous sulfate and 1 g of copper sulfate in 1,000 mL of water, put it in a bottle, and start supplementary feeding when the piglets are 3 days old. When the piglets suckle, drip the mixture onto the teats for the piglets to suck, or put it in a nursing bottle and feed it to them, 1-2 times a day, 10 mL per piglet per day. After the piglets start eating feed, mix the mixture into the feed.

(2) Injection method: At 3 days of age, inject 1 mL of iron dextran compound injection or iron-selenium injection intramuscularly, and at 10 days of age inject another 2 mL.

(3) Mineral lick: In order to meet the piglets' needs for various minerals and trace elements, when the piglets are 5 days old, place a small trough containing bone meal, salt, charcoal powder, red soil or fresh grass-root soil mixed with an iron compound in the supplementary feeding pen, and let them root and eat freely. In addition, the soil contains iron, so letting piglets lick red soil or raising them on pasture can provide some supplementation.