And keep enough gilts to prevent breeding too few animals in any one we ek. This research was supported by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Ontario producers are increasingly weaning pigs at less than 21 days old. On so me farms, small, pale piglets in nurseries can be found. Pigs weaned early, or at a light weight, can be slow to adapt ot the weanling ration and post-weaning environment, and may fail to eat adequately.
Anemia can result.
Researchers Bob Friendshop, Cate Dewey and Kim Murphy, Population Medicine, inve stigated whether increasing iron supplementation in the nursing phase woudl prev ent anemia in piglets who are slow to adapt after weaning. The results were disapppointing. Specifically , piglets weaned at seven days didn't perform well during the first few weeks af ter weaning, regardless of the iron dose. Their hemoglobin levels were signific antly lower than the other groups and some developed anemia. In addition, these piglets weighed significantly less at 28 days than the other groups.