FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FeVit Oral Iron Research at the University of Bern, Switzerland
Results presented to the Veterinary Large
Animal Practice Conference at Fulda, Germany on 23.5.98
Prof.
Dr. W. Zimmermann
Veterinary
Specialist (FVH) for Pig Veterinary Medicine.
The
Veterinarians role in developing measures to reduce piglet losses.
Summary
translation.
There
are numerous measures that can reduce piglet losses. This talk discussed a
number of these and centred on the prophylactic approach covering sow and piglet
vaccination and reducing stressors in the sow during gestation and in the
farrowing house.
The
longstanding knowledge that the suckling piglet born and reared in a farrowing
house requires supplementary iron in order to prevent anaemia after around 14
days has ensured that iron injections are now routine. The basis for the
research carried out at the University of Bern had the objective of testing the
current hypotheses and to test the application of other methods of preventing
anaemia.
About
60% of the piglet’s body iron is contained within the blood haemoglobin. Iron
is also important within the muscle as Myoglobin (20% of the total), where it is
required by a number of enzymes. Most of the remainder is found in large
quantities combined with protein stored in depot organs such as the liver,
spleen, lymph nodes and bone marrow. The effects of a number of diverse forms of
iron for anaemia prophylaxis from earlier research were presented.
In
a controlled field trial BioWeyxin® FeVit (Veyx) was tested for its
efficacy in supplementing iron orally and its effects on blood supply, weight
gain and colostrum antibody levels in the suckling pig were measured. Blood
values were tested for up to 4 weeks following the iron supplementation
treatment given to the piglets on Day 1 or Day 4 post partum. In one trial they
tested the piglet’s blood status following a repeat treatment, where oral iron
was given on Day 4 and Day 8 post partum. All treatments were compared to a
trial group given an iron injection (Anämex®
200mg Iron dextran) on Day 1. The iron injection resulted in achieving an
adequate level of iron in the blood. With the single oral treatment, a drop in
the haemoglobin was noted after 14 days. Whilst with the repeat treatment the
level remained adequate, in line with that achieved by the injected group. The
individual daily gains achieved correlated well with the blood haemoglobin
level. It was surprising to note that oral iron given on Day 4 was as effective
as that given on Day 1. It is suggested that the special emulsification process
in BioWeyxin® FeVit (Veyx) enabled effective absorption at a later
stage. The researchers were amazed to find that the piglets given the oral iron
on Day 1 maintained a significantly
higher blood globulin level (β – and γ-Globulin) during the first
two weeks of life compared to the injected group. This was confirmed in a study
in Sweden, where it was found that piglets receiving an iron injection suffered
more frequently from ‘joint ill’ compared to the piglets given the oral iron
preparation. High blood globulin levels protect the piglets naturally from
rearing diseases and disorders and this is especially true during the first two
weeks of life.
Based
on these trial results one can state that suckling piglets treated on the FIRST
and the 8th Day of life with 2ml (200mg Iron dextran) “BioWeyxin®
FeVit (Veyx)” demonstrate a good blood and immune status and ideal growth
rates. Piglets given oral iron only once on Day 1 responded to peat or sods of
earth (i.e. from the environment or feed) as an alternative iron source.
These
preliminary results speak for the application of an oral iron treatment.
Prof.
Dr. W. Zimmermann
University
of Bern, Switzerland
NOTES:
The
preparation “SanoVital605” is a product jointly developed by
Messrs Veyx-Pharma GmbH and Messrs Sinta Gesellschaft für Tiergesundheit
mbH of Schwarzenborn, Germany.
Veyx-Pharma
market the product under the trade name “BioWeyxin® FeVit.”
Sinta
Tiergesundheit markets the product as “Biocolost F 115.”
In
Switzerland the product is marketed as “SanoVital F115”
KEY
TO CHARTS:
Fe
An= Anämex® parenteral (i. injected)
SV= SanoVital F115 or BioWeyxin® FeVit or Biocolost F115
For More Information Contact:
Veyx-Pharma UK
37 St Patricks Avenue, Charvil, READING, Berks UK RG10 9RA
Tel: 0118 901 7522
FAX: 0118 901 7568
Internet:
veyxuk@veyx.co.uk