Iron supplementation is crucial for piglets, especially those raised indoors, as they are prone to iron deficiency anemia. The standard method is providing iron dextran injections shortly after birth. However, the question remains whether one or two injections are necessary to maintain healthy iron levels throughout the pre-weaning period.
Many farms opt for a single injection of 200 mg iron dextran within the first 2-3 days of life. This typically provides enough iron to prevent anemia during the early weeks. Supporters of this approach argue that if piglets are weaned onto iron-fortified feed or given a creep feed (a specialized feed offered before weaning), one injection can suffice. Creep feed, which can contain 100-150 ppm iron, helps boost piglets’ iron intake before they transition fully to solid food, reducing the need for a second injection.
