Studies of serum-transferrin and some hematologic parameters in vitamin E and selenium deficient pigs

Sows of Swedish Landrace x Yorkshire breed were fed a diet extremely deficient in vitamin E, selenium (VESD) during the last six weeks of pregnancy and compared to sows of the same breed and age fed a normal commercial diet. The transferrin concentration in serum and different hematological parameters were estimated at regular intervals in the sows before and after partus and in their piglets at birth and during the first four weeks of life. The transferrin concentration in the serum of piglets from sows fed the VESD diet did not differ from the corresponding values in normal pigs whereas the VESD piglets showed significantly lower hemoglobin values at birth and higher MCV values during the first three weeks of life than the normal piglets. A disturbance of the erythropoesis in these piglets due to vitamin E/selenium deficiency is discussed.