| Abstrakt: |
Uteroferrin, an Fe-containing, progesterone-induced glycoprotein is involved in maternal to fetal Fe transport in swine. These studies examined the effect of im Fe injection of dam on conceptus and piglet Fe stores. In Exp. I, eight gilts were bred and assigned to either treatment I (no Fe injections) or treatment II (total of 22 mg iron-dextran/kg body weight on d 40, 45, 50, 55 and 60 of gestation) and hysterectomized on d 90 to determine whether Fe injections increased Fe stores in the conceptus. Total Fe in allantoic fluid (<.10) as well as uteroferrin concentration (<.05) and total uteroferrin (<.05) in placentae were greater for gilts in treatment II. In Exp. II, 19 crossbred sows were bred and assigned to treatments I and II (d 40, 50 and 60 of gestation), as in Exp. I, and treatment III (total of 22 mg iron-dextran/kg body weight on d 90, 100 and 110 of gestation) to determine effects of treatment on hemoglobin (Hb) values of the piglets at 8 ± 1 h and d 4 postpartum. Piglets from treatment II had higher (<.01) Hb at 8 ± 1 h, but not on d 4 postpartum. Experiment III was a replication of Exp. II except that Hb values were determined at 8 ± 1 h, d 4 and d 7 postpartum. On d 7, piglets from treatment II had higher (<.05) Hb, but differences at 8 ± 1 h and d 4 were not significant (>.10). Supplementation of maternal Fe on d 40, 50 and 60 had a positive effect on Fe in allantoic fluid of the conceptus, uteroferrin in placentae and neonatal Hb values and may provide a means of increasing fetal Fe stores to reduce problems of anemia in the piglet. |
