2004 Dupuis Ipvs

RELATION BETWEEN HAEMOGLOBIN LEVELS AND PIGLET GROWTH A LONGITUDINAL FOLLOW-UP IN TEN FARMS J. Dupuis1, V. Auvigne2, E. Salle3, (1) ARCA, 35230 Saint Armel, France, (2) EKIPAJ, 35760 Saint-Grégoire, France, (3) CEVA, 33501 Libourne, France Introduction The objectives of this paper were twofold: (1) to study the relationship between the body weight of piglets at birth and their haemoglobin levels, and (2) to study the growth of piglets and the evolution of their haemoglobin levels during their first six weeks of age. Material and Methods The study was carried out in ten breeding-fattening farms. In each farm, the piglets of three litters were monitored (n=342). Haemoglobin levels were measured in the first week after birth (HB1, average 3.6 days, ranging from 0 to 7), at weaning (HB2, 22 to 32 days) and 18 days after weaning (HB3). The piglets were weighed individually at these days (weight noted as P1, P2, P3). The piglets received an injection of 200 mg of gleptoferron (Gleptosil) on the first measuring day, just after blood sampling. Haemoglobin levels were measured by photometry, using a pocket analyser (Hemocue 201+). Results A significant and linear correlation was observed between the age at the first sampling day (Age1) and HB1 (p<0.0001, R²=0.28). Haemoglobin levels at birth were estimated using the formula HBJ0 = HB1 + 4.055*Age1. For the piglets that were weighed between 2 and 7 days of age, a significant and linear correlation was observed between age and weight (p<0.001, R²=0.32). For these piglets, the weight at birth (PJ0) was calculated using the formula PJ0=P1 – 0.202 (Age1-2). The average haemoglobin level at birth was 91 g/l (Std=14). The relation between weight at birth and HB1 was significant (p<0.0001) but had a low correlation factor (R²=0.01). HB1 decreased slightly as the weight increased (Fig 1). There was no difference between farms. Fig 1: Relation between weight and haemoglobin at day 0 140 130 120

At weaning, the average haemoglobin level was 102 g/l. The results were very homogenous for all farms, with one exception, farm “G” (Table 1). In this farm, the average haemoglobin level at weaning was only 70 g/l. A retrospective investigation on this farm revealed a mechanical problem of the syringe used for the iron injection causing the product to flow back into the syringe. On this farm, average daily growth rates were similar to the others before weaning. However, growth rates were lower in the two weeks after weaning (226 g/d instead of 332 g/d for the other farms). Tab 1: Results per farm ADG before weaning

HB2

ADG after weaning

Farm

n

Mean

Std

Mean

Std

Mean

Std

A

39

104

16

260

78

384

95

B

37

107

23

220

49

284

84

C

28

120

18

283

62

289

86

D

29

122

16

244

54

290

82

E

36

105

16

224

59

275

70

F

29

115

16

245

65

394

106

G

29

70

13

258

33

226

89

H

27

108

8

265

64

355

99

I

36

114

11

250

35

327

71

J

31

117

11

266

66

365

129

Discussion This study revealed a low correlation between the weight at birth and haemoglobin levels, with highest levels found in the smallest piglets. It therefore seems pointless to inject double iron doses to the smallest piglets, as is sometimes done by farmers. It is impossible to draw statistical conclusions from the accidentally ineffective iron injection in farm G. Nevertheless, a relation between the faulty iron injection and the poor post-weaning growth rate seems highly likely. On the farm concerned, growth rates prior to weaning were normal. This confirms that the iron deficiency has a delayed onset effect.

Hemoglobin

110

As the iron injection is universally administered in intensive pig farming, there is a tendency to forget its importance. Nevertheless, as for all injectable drugs, the quality of the iron injection is fundamental. In case of poor growth during post-weaning, anaemia should be suspected. Pocket analysers such as the Hemocue® 201+ allow an instant on-farm result.

100

90

80

70

60 50

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0 Weight

2.5

3.0

3.5

Proceedings of the 18th IPVS Congress, Hamburg, Germany, 2004 - Volume 2

763