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Sow hemoglobin: Potential biomarker for identifying ‘at risk’ sows

When you think of iron status, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Maybe iron for newborn pigs? Or, “Iron sharpens iron?” Maybe iron as a symbol of strength? This article is focused on the latter point in sows.

The swine industry’s pursuit of genetic advancements to enhance reproductive efficiency has yielded success, but it has also led to a concerning increase in sow mortality and removal rates. The long-term profitability of swine farms hinges significantly on the maintenance of a healthy sow population. A current goal of our program at SDSU is the early identification of at-risk sows to proactively address nutritional status and complications that could result in negative outcomes.

Read the full article at National Hog Farmer.

[Source: National Hog Farmer 18 July 2024, by Katlyn McClellan and Eric Weaver, South Dakota State University]