Impact of Iron Supplementation on Growth Performance, Iron Homeostasis and Redox Balance of Suckling Piglets

This study evaluates the effects of intramuscular injection or oral supplementation of iron on the growth performance, iron homeostasis, and redox status of suckling piglets. A total of 94 newborn piglets, selected from 8 healthy sows, were randomly allocated into 4 treatment groups during the lacta...

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Main Authors: Qingwei Meng, Qing Wu, Qiang Zhou, Jiayong Tang, Yong Zhuo, Zhengfeng Fang, Yan Lin, Shengyu Xu, Bin Feng, Lun Hua, Xuemei Jiang, De Wu, Lianqiang Che
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Animals
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/7/924
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author Qingwei Meng
Qing Wu
Qiang Zhou
Jiayong Tang
Yong Zhuo
Zhengfeng Fang
Yan Lin
Shengyu Xu
Bin Feng
Lun Hua
Xuemei Jiang
De Wu
Lianqiang Che
author_facet Qingwei Meng
Qing Wu
Qiang Zhou
Jiayong Tang
Yong Zhuo
Zhengfeng Fang
Yan Lin
Shengyu Xu
Bin Feng
Lun Hua
Xuemei Jiang
De Wu
Lianqiang Che
author_sort Qingwei Meng
collection DOAJ
description This study evaluates the effects of intramuscular injection or oral supplementation of iron on the growth performance, iron homeostasis, and redox status of suckling piglets. A total of 94 newborn piglets, selected from 8 healthy sows, were randomly allocated into 4 treatment groups during the lactation period, receiving injections of normal saline without iron (CON, n = 23), intramuscular dextran injection of bound iron at 2 mL (200 mg Fe) on postnatal day 3 (PND 3) (FeDex, n = 24), oral supplementation from PND 2 to 13 with 10 g of FerkoFer<sup>®</sup> containing 2.2 g Fe per day (FeOra, n = 23), or both FeDex and FeOra (FeDPO, n = 24). Piglets were weighed individually at birth and PND 21. Blood samples were collected on PNDs 1, 7, 14, and 21. Piglets in the CON group had lower body weight on PND 21 compared with piglets in the FeDex, FeOra, and FeDPO groups (0.46–1.05 kg decrease, <i>p</i> < 0.05), while piglets in the FeDPO group had the highest weaning weight across all groups (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The levels of hemoglobin (HGB) and serum iron (SI) in FeDPO piglets were significantly higher than in all other groups on PNDs 14 and 21 (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Moreover, the red blood cell (RBC) levels in the FeDPO and FeOra piglets were significantly higher than that in FeDex piglets on PND 21 (<i>p</i> < 0.05). In addition, serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities in both FeOra and FeDPO piglets were significantly higher than those of piglets in CON and FeDex piglets on PND 21 (<i>p</i> < 0.05), whereas malondialdehyde (MDA) content in FeDex piglets was higher than that in CON piglets (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Collectively, the current results indicate that the combination of intramuscular injection and oral supplementation is a more effective strategy to improve the growth performance of suckling piglets, associated with higher hemoglobin and serum iron levels, as well as the optimal redox status.
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spelling doaj-art-aef1d720d6df4903a348a3a896d48a242025-08-20T02:15:54ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152025-03-0115792410.3390/ani15070924Impact of Iron Supplementation on Growth Performance, Iron Homeostasis and Redox Balance of Suckling PigletsQingwei Meng0Qing Wu1Qiang Zhou2Jiayong Tang3Yong Zhuo4Zhengfeng Fang5Yan Lin6Shengyu Xu7Bin Feng8Lun Hua9Xuemei Jiang10De Wu11Lianqiang Che12Department of Strategy Marketing and Technology, Cargill Animal Nutrition, Chengdu 610000, ChinaKey Laboratory for Animal Disease-Resistant Nutrition of China Ministry of Education, Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, ChinaKey Laboratory for Animal Disease-Resistant Nutrition of China Ministry of Education, Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, ChinaKey Laboratory for Animal Disease-Resistant Nutrition of China Ministry of Education, Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, ChinaKey Laboratory for Animal Disease-Resistant Nutrition of China Ministry of Education, Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, ChinaKey Laboratory for Animal Disease-Resistant Nutrition of China Ministry of Education, Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, ChinaKey Laboratory for Animal Disease-Resistant Nutrition of China Ministry of Education, Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, ChinaKey Laboratory for Animal Disease-Resistant Nutrition of China Ministry of Education, Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, ChinaKey Laboratory for Animal Disease-Resistant Nutrition of China Ministry of Education, Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, ChinaKey Laboratory for Animal Disease-Resistant Nutrition of China Ministry of Education, Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, ChinaKey Laboratory for Animal Disease-Resistant Nutrition of China Ministry of Education, Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, ChinaKey Laboratory for Animal Disease-Resistant Nutrition of China Ministry of Education, Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, ChinaKey Laboratory for Animal Disease-Resistant Nutrition of China Ministry of Education, Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, ChinaThis study evaluates the effects of intramuscular injection or oral supplementation of iron on the growth performance, iron homeostasis, and redox status of suckling piglets. A total of 94 newborn piglets, selected from 8 healthy sows, were randomly allocated into 4 treatment groups during the lactation period, receiving injections of normal saline without iron (CON, n = 23), intramuscular dextran injection of bound iron at 2 mL (200 mg Fe) on postnatal day 3 (PND 3) (FeDex, n = 24), oral supplementation from PND 2 to 13 with 10 g of FerkoFer<sup>®</sup> containing 2.2 g Fe per day (FeOra, n = 23), or both FeDex and FeOra (FeDPO, n = 24). Piglets were weighed individually at birth and PND 21. Blood samples were collected on PNDs 1, 7, 14, and 21. Piglets in the CON group had lower body weight on PND 21 compared with piglets in the FeDex, FeOra, and FeDPO groups (0.46–1.05 kg decrease, <i>p</i> < 0.05), while piglets in the FeDPO group had the highest weaning weight across all groups (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The levels of hemoglobin (HGB) and serum iron (SI) in FeDPO piglets were significantly higher than in all other groups on PNDs 14 and 21 (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Moreover, the red blood cell (RBC) levels in the FeDPO and FeOra piglets were significantly higher than that in FeDex piglets on PND 21 (<i>p</i> < 0.05). In addition, serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities in both FeOra and FeDPO piglets were significantly higher than those of piglets in CON and FeDex piglets on PND 21 (<i>p</i> < 0.05), whereas malondialdehyde (MDA) content in FeDex piglets was higher than that in CON piglets (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Collectively, the current results indicate that the combination of intramuscular injection and oral supplementation is a more effective strategy to improve the growth performance of suckling piglets, associated with higher hemoglobin and serum iron levels, as well as the optimal redox status.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/7/924iron supplementationgrowth performanceblood parameterssuckling piglets
spellingShingle Qingwei Meng
Qing Wu
Qiang Zhou
Jiayong Tang
Yong Zhuo
Zhengfeng Fang
Yan Lin
Shengyu Xu
Bin Feng
Lun Hua
Xuemei Jiang
De Wu
Lianqiang Che
Impact of Iron Supplementation on Growth Performance, Iron Homeostasis and Redox Balance of Suckling Piglets
Animals
iron supplementation
growth performance
blood parameters
suckling piglets
title Impact of Iron Supplementation on Growth Performance, Iron Homeostasis and Redox Balance of Suckling Piglets
title_full Impact of Iron Supplementation on Growth Performance, Iron Homeostasis and Redox Balance of Suckling Piglets
title_fullStr Impact of Iron Supplementation on Growth Performance, Iron Homeostasis and Redox Balance of Suckling Piglets
title_full_unstemmed Impact of Iron Supplementation on Growth Performance, Iron Homeostasis and Redox Balance of Suckling Piglets
title_short Impact of Iron Supplementation on Growth Performance, Iron Homeostasis and Redox Balance of Suckling Piglets
title_sort impact of iron supplementation on growth performance iron homeostasis and redox balance of suckling piglets
topic iron supplementation
growth performance
blood parameters
suckling piglets
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/7/924
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