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Hemoglobin Levels of Lambs from Birth to Eight Weeks of Age and the Effects of Iron-Dextran on Suckling Lambs^1,2,

Purdue University Agricultural Experiment Station

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of iron-dextran injections on lambs to ascertain facts concerning hemoglobin levels of young lambs. Rate of gain, hemoglobin levels at birth, 3 days, 7 days, and weekly thereafter, and livability were factors investigated. In 1959, a control group was compared to a group which received 100 mg. of iron as iron-dextran (Armidexan) at one week of age. Hemoglobin levels of control lambs dropped while hemoglobin levels of injected lambs increased following treatment. Weight gains of injected lambs were 15% better than control lambs.

In 1960, ewe lambs only were allotted to treatments of: (1) no iron injection, (2) 150 mg. of iron (Armidexan) during the first 24 hours of life, and (3) 300 mg. of iron (Armidexan) injected in equal doses during the first 24 hours of life and at 10 days of age. Respective weight gains for these treatments were 0.54, 0.56, and 0.58 lb. per day. Hemoglobin level at birth for all lambs averaged 14.17 gm. percent with a standard deviation of 1.57 gm. percent. No significant differences were noted in birth hemoglobin between twins and single lambs, twin lambs with male vs. female partners, nor between lambs from yearling ewes as opposed to lambs from aged ewes. Average drop in hemoglobin level during the first three days of life was 1.4 gm. percent. Control lambs reached the lowest hemoglobin level, 8.37 gm. percent, at 21 days of age, a figure slightly less than the 14-day level. The group receiving 150 mg. of iron maintained an essentially constant level of 11 gm. percent from 2 to 8 weeks of age. The group receiving 300 mg. of iron maintained higher hemoglobin levels than the group receiving 150 mg. of iron from the second to the sixth week. The effect of iron-dextran on hemoglobin level was significant at P=.0005. Mortality rates for the 0, 150 and 300 mg. iron treatments were 30.5%, 38.6% and 13.5%, respectively.

¹ Contributions from the Department of Animal Science Journal Paper No. 1697, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana.

² Data from the thesis submitted by R. C. Holz to the faculty of Purdue University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science.

³ The authors acknowledge with appreciation the efforts of Dr. M. A. Schooley, Director of Animal Health and Nutrition, Armour and Company, Chicago, Illinois, for supplying the iron-dextran (Armidexan) used in these experiments.

⁴ Present address: Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.