A total of 40 gilts (Landrace × Yorkshire) with initial body weight (BW) of 156.2 ± 3.2 kg were fed diets containing ALA
or inorganic FeSO4 and their 392 progeny were used to determine the effect of ALA and FeSO4 on the iron status of sows
and pigs at birth and nursing. The experiment was a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with two different additive [90 mg of
iron/kg (as FeSO4) and 90 mg ALA/kg] and 2 levels of injection with Fe dextran (0 and 200 mg) to neonatal pigs within litter.
Treatments (ALA and FeSO4) were fed to sows during gestation and lactation (including the weaning-to-estrus intervals)
period. To minimize the Fe contribution from dietary calcium and phosphorus sources, experimental diets were formulated
using calcium sulfate and sodium phosphate, respectively, because they are known to contain minimal Fe (NRC, 1998). To
limit the Fe concentration in the basal diets, the base mineral mix used in this experiment contained minimal detectable Fe
(19 mg/kg; as-fed basis). Gilts received a single dailymeal of 2.3 kg of a gestationdiet during pregnancy. During lactation, sows
were allowed free access to a lactation diet from d 6 after parturition onwards. A total of 392 Yorkshire × Landrace × PIC
(line 280) pigs originally born to those sows were the only pigs used for the blood hematological measurements in the
experiment. Although pigs were cross-fostered within treatment when possible to equalize lactation litter size, they were
not used for blood measurements. Cross-fostered pigs were, however, included in the growth performance data. Piglets had
free access to water at all times. Piglets had no access to creep feed.