Iron Supplementation Strategies in Neonatal Livestock

Neonatal livestock frequently suffer from iron deficiency anaemia owing to inherently low hepatic iron stores at birth, rapid postnatal growth and limited placental transfer. Species most affected include piglets, calves and lambs. Conventional strategies rely on single high-dose intramuscular injections of iron dextran within days of birth to correct erythropoietic deficits and prevent stunted growth, immune dysfunction and increased morbidity. However, this approach can induce hepcidin expression, reduce subsequent iron absorption and risk iron overload. Alternative methods under investigation encompass maternal iron supplementation during gestation, oral administration of heme sources or chelated iron complexes, and innovative delivery systems such as thermosensitive hydrogels for sustained release. Each strategy must balance efficacy, animal welfare and practical constraints in diverse rearing systems. Optimising dosing protocols to minimise toxicity, attenuate hepcidin upregulation and enhance bioavailability remains a global priority to secure livestock health, ensure efficient production and reduce reliance on therapeutic interventions.

Research from Nature Portfolio

No recent Nature Portfolio content available.

Iron Supplementation Strategies in Neonatal Livestock publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in iron supplementation strategies in neonatal livestock across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Iron dextran: A complex of ferric hydroxide and dextran used for parenteral iron supplementation.

Hepcidin: A liver-derived peptide hormone that regulates systemic iron homeostasis by inhibiting ferroportin.

Ferroportin: The only known cellular iron exporter, located on enterocytes and macrophages, controlled by hepcidin binding.

Chelated iron: A form of iron bound to organic ligands (e.g. amino acids or peptides) enhancing solubility and bioavailability.

Erythropoiesis: The process of red blood cell production within the bone marrow, dependent on adequate iron supply.

References

1. Iron Supplementation of Pregnant Sows to Prevent Iron Deficiency Anemia in Piglets: A Procedure of Questionable Effectiveness. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2024).
2. Changes of metabolic parameters, antioxidant capacity, and gut microbiota in response to substitution of ferrous sulfate with iron hydroxy methionine analog chelate in weaned piglets. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology (2025).
3. Thermosensitive Chitosan Hydrogels: A Potential Strategy for Prolonged Iron Dextran Parenteral Supplementation. Polymers (2023).
4. Antibiotics augment the impact of iron deficiency on metabolism in a piglet model. The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry (2023).