An assessment of hemoglobin concentrations in relation to reproductive stage and parity in sows

摘要

Iron is important fot enzyme metabolization and oxygen transport. It is typically bound to proteins, such as hemoglobin (Hb), with 65% in red blood cells and the rest stored as ferritin. In sows, iron requirements increase with gestation and lactationdue to utero-transfer, hemorrhage, and milk excretion. If demands exceed intake, etythtopoiesis and ferritin mobilization are initiated, and non-degenerative anemia or ferriprive anemia will occur when reserves are depleted. Hb measurement typically isa reliable indicator of anemia.1 To prevent anemia in piglets, routine iron injections are given shortly after birth. In contrast, the iron requirements of sows are ignored despite the high reproductive demands in the modern pork industry. Therefore, this study was designed to evaluate Hb concentrations at various stages of gestation and lactation and at multiple parities. The overall goal was to determine if sows are anemic at any particular stage or parity and if there is there is an association between low Hb concentrations and numbet of stillbirths/mummies.