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Developmental Changes in Serum Ferritin of Piglets¹

Hokkaido National Agricultural Experiment Station, Sapporo 061-01 and and University of Dairying, Ebetsu 069-01, Japan

Abstract

Serum ferritin concentration of 40 nursing piglets was measured by a two-site immunoradiometric assay to assess relationships of serum ferritin to Fe-related blood characteristics and nonheme Fe concentration of the liver. Hemoglobin concentration rapidly decreased after nursing to 55% of the birth level at 2 to 4 wk of age when the piglets exhibited severe symptoms of Fe deficiency. However, an im injection of 1 ml of iron-dextran (100 mg Fe) at 3 d of age restored the hemoglobin level to near the concentration of 10 g/100 ml by 2 wk of age. Serum ferritin concentration was low at birth and 1 d of age, but increased by 3 d of age. From 1 wk of age onward, serum ferritin level of the unsupplemented animals decreased linearly and declined to the lowest level at 3 wk of age. With iron-dextran injection, however, systemic concentration of ferritin peaked at 1 wk of age and decreased linearly to 3 wk of age. Serum ferritin of both groups was almost depleted at 3 to 4 wk of age. Although a single injection of 100 mg Fe from iron-dextran is adequate to maximize weight gain and to maintain normal hemoglobin level, serum ferritin concentration was almost exhausted after 2 wk of age. Serum ferritin concentration of both groups increased gradually from 4 wk of age, followed by a quadratic rise to 8 wk of age. The elevation of serum ferritin of the unsupplemented group after 4 wk of age almost paralleled that of hemoglobin concentration. Thus, it seems likely that systemic ferritin level is a good index for a measure of Fe stores in nursing pigs.

¹ The authors acknowledge Drs. Y. Niitsu and Y. Kohgo, Dept. of Medicine IV, Sapporo Medical College, Sapporo for their advice on ferritin analysis; K. Togashi for the statistical analysis of the data; M. Ueno for animal care and R. Matsumura for technical assistance

² Dept. of Anim. Ind., Hokkaido National Agr. Exp. Sta., Sapporo

³ Dept. of Dairying, Univ. of Dairying, Ebetsu