What are the treatment methods for vitamin deficiency in pigs?

During their growth and development, pigs need relatively large amounts of vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin D, vitamin E, etc. If green fodder is lacking in the diet for a long time, or the feed is monotonous or improperly formulated, it will cause some kind of vitamin deficiency. The symptoms and treatment methods of several common vitamin deficiencies are described below.

(I) Vitamin A deficiency in pigs

Vitamin A deficiency is a nutritional metabolic disease caused by improper storage of green fodder and roughage in the diet, which destroys the vitamin A precursor (carotene) in the feed. In addition, a lack of macroelements in the feed, insufficient exercise, and gastrointestinal diseases can also promote the occurrence of this disease.

1. Symptoms:

When pigs suffer from vitamin A deficiency, the course of the disease is slow, and it takes about 1-3 months for obvious symptoms to appear. Bone and tooth growth are inhibited, the skin is dry, hair follicles become keratinized, hair falls out, the resistance of epithelial tissue decreases, and the pigs are susceptible to infection. Trembling, arching of the back, incoordination of movement, the head often tilts to one side, unsteady walking, weak and flaccid hind limbs, xerophthalmia, and the cornea is prone to inflammation occur. In severe cases, night blindness occurs, and the piglets born may be blind, deformed, or even stillborn. Boars have declined sexual function, poor sperm motility, dead sperm, failure to conceive, or give birth to few piglets.

2. Treatment:

Inject 1-4 ml of vitamin A-D injection intramuscularly per pig each time, once a day; feed 0.2-3 ml of concentrated cod liver oil drops per pig per day, twice a day, for 5-10 consecutive days as one course of treatment.

(II) Vitamin B2 deficiency:

Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) deficiency in pigs is a nutritional metabolic disease in which B2 is destroyed due to improper handling of green fodder or feed, causing a disturbance in the body's substance metabolism.

1. Symptoms:

If pigs lack vitamin B2, the main manifestations are inflammation of the corners of the mouth, oral and tongue ulcers, and inflammation of the cornea and conjunctiva. In severe cases, the legs become bent and rigid, and the skin is rough and thickened. Some develop skin rashes, scales and ulcers, hair loss, stunted growth, digestive disturbances and vomiting, and eye cataracts.

2. Treatment:

When vitamin B2 is deficient, inject 1-4 ml of vitamin B2 injection intramuscularly, or 2-8 ml of multivitamin injection, once a day, for 3-5 consecutive days. Oral riboflavin tablets can also be given, 1-8 tablets (1 tablet for piglets), twice a day, for 3-5 consecutive doses.

(III) Vitamin E deficiency in pigs:

Vitamin E in the pig body is an effective physiological antioxidant, and it also protects the selenides that are susceptible to oxidation in the membranes of subcellular mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum. A deficiency of vitamin E makes selenides easily oxidized. Because pigs lack selenium and vitamin E, it can cause nutritional diseases with diverse manifestations, mostly occurring in 2-month-old piglets and 4-5-month-old growing pigs.

1. Symptoms:

Acute onset is mostly seen as sudden death without premonitory symptoms. In the subacute type, at the beginning the pigs are listless, have reduced appetite, generalized subcutaneous edema, and accelerated heartbeat; a few affected pigs grind their teeth and pass pale red or brownish-red urine. The course of the disease is generally 3-5 days. In the chronic type, the course can generally drag on for more than 15 days. The affected pigs have rough and disordered hair, poor appetite, and diarrhea. When standing, the two hind legs frequently shift weight alternately, the muscles tremble, and the pigs prefer to lie down on the ground. Some kneel on the front legs or assume a dog-sitting posture, with rough and rapid breathing.

When pigs lack vitamin E, it affects the normal development of the sow's embryo, causing abortion, premature birth, or stillbirth. When boars lack vitamin E, sperm motility is weak, with dead sperm or no sperm.

2. Treatment: Inject 100-300 ml of vitamin E intramuscularly, once a day, for 7 consecutive days as one course of treatment.