ANN 111: Principles of Animal Nutrition and Feed Technology (2+1)

Deficiency – Anemia

DEFICIENCY - ANAEMIA 

• Anaemia due to iron deficiency occurs most commonly in rapidly growing suckling animals, since the iron content of milk is usually very low.
• This can occur in piglets housed in pens without access to soil. The piglet is born with very limited iron reserves and sow's milk provides only about 1mg per day.
• Providing the sow with supplementary iron in gestation does not increase the foetal piglets liver iron or the amount in the milk.
• Anemia in piglets is characterized by poor appetite and growth. Breathing becomes labored and spasmodic-hence the descriptive term 'thumps' for the condition.
• Iron deficiency anemia is not common in lambs and calves.