Fixing Vitamin D Deficiency

Those concerns spurred [Steve Henry, DVM] to collaborate with researchers Ron Horst of Heartland Assays and Jesse Goff of Iowa State University to find a way to provide piglets with vitamin D. The pair developed an oral bolus dose that can be given to 2-3-day-old piglets to boost serum levels until pigs reach weaning and are placed on feed that can be supplemented with vitamin D as necessary. Henry reports the solution consists of vitamin D with peanut oil that enhances absorption by the pig. To test the value of vitamin D supplementation in piglets, Kansas State University (KSU) graduate student Josh Flohr led a team of KSU researchers in reviewing product supplementation at two levels, 40,000 and 80,000 international units, against a control model. In a 52-day trial, 270 pigs from 29 PIC litters were dosed at two days of age. Pigs were weighed and bled at periodic intervals before weaning. On Day 20, pigs were weaned and placed in a nursery and fed standard diets. Thirty pigs were also necropsied - 18 preweaning and 12 postweaning. Increasing oral vitamin D3 levels increased serum concentrations on Day 10, 20 and 30, compared to control group pigs, and treated pigs were 0.3 lb. heavier than control pigs whether dosed with 40,000 or 80,000 international units of vitamin D. But during the nursery phase (Day 20-52), no significant differences were seen in average daily gain, average daily feed intake or feed conversion. On Day 52, pigs previously dosed with vitamin D3 were 0.5 lb. heavier than control pigs.