ALMOST 30% OF PIGLETS SUFFER FROM IRON DEFICIENCY

Research from around the world has revealed that iron deficiency is a common condition among piglets. A study performed in 20 farms in Canada found that before weaning, almost 30% of piglets suffered from iron deficiency. When untreated, iron deficiency became even more common after weaning, with high rates of up to 44%1.

A 2018 study published in Frontiers in Nutrition found that early-life iron depletion can lead to a mutated microbial composition in the gut, showing more pathogens and decreased beneficial gut bacteria. When piglets were fed with an iron-adequate milk replacer until the age of four weeks their microbial composition returned to normal2.

A recent review on iron supplementation for piglets has shown that oral administration can be an adequate treatment for early-life iron deficiency cases in piglets. Commonly used methods of administration include intra-muscular injections, which have been shown to bring high levels of stress and pain to the piglets. Therefore, oral administration can provide an alternative with less distress to the piglets3.

Halavit, a longstanding producer of milk replacers, uses state-of-the-art technologies to process milk replacers for piglets and other animals which give the necessary nutrients and allows for integration of additional ingredients. The milk replacers produced for piglets are made under food safety standards, and provide rich formulas for completion of the weaning of piglets, which include iron supplements.

Contact us for more information on Halavit’s milk replacers for piglets, for healthy growth and development and decreased risk of iron deficiencies.