Cadmium-Induced Anemia in Growing Pigs: Protective Effect of Oral or Parenteral Iron

Abstract

Forty-Two weanling Yorkshire pigs were used in two experiments to determine the effect of oral or injected Fe on the anemia and growth depression induced by dietary Cd. In both experiments 154 ppm Cd (as CdCl₂) added to a corn-soybean meal diet significantly (P<.01) depressed hemoglobin; in experiment 2, daily weight gain and feed consumption were significantly (P<.01) depressed by Cd. The depression in hemoglobin induced by Cd was prevented by oral (400 ppm Fe as FeSO⁴•7H₂O) or intramuscular (800 mg Fe as iron dextrin) Fe (experiment 1) or by intramuscular (1,000 mg Fe as iron dextrin) Fe (experiment 2). Daily weight gain of pigs fed the basal diet was not significantly different from that of pigs fed Cd when Fe was injected (experiment 2). Oral Fe was incorporated into the feed throughout the experiment; parenteral Fe was administered as a single intramuscular injection on day 1 of each experiment. The protective effect of Fe on Cd-induced anemia observed previously in the rat is apparently operative in the pig as well. Copyright © 1973. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1973 by American Society of Animal Science.