Abstract
Aso-yellow ocher, is peculiar to Aso region of Kumamoto, contains various minerals such as ferric oxide. We used purified Aso-yellow ocher (PAY) as supplement to diet in piglets. Piglets were given diet containing varying levels (5% in the experiment 1, 2% in the experiment 2, 0% in both experiments) of PAY ad libitum from 4 to 8 weeks (experiment 1) and from 3 to 8 weeks (experiment 2) of age. In the experiment 1, blood characteristics concerning anemia of every weeks and behavior of the piglets aged eight weeks were examined. In the experiment 2, behaviors of the piglets aged from 4 to 8 weeks were examined. In both experiments, we measured body weight gain at every week.
In experiment 1, there were no significant difference between supplemental group and control group in total iron binding capacity and amount of hemoglobin. And, there were significance different between both groups, in unsaturated iron binding capacity and serum iron (P<0.05). The amount of serum iron of control group was increased and remained high numerical value at every week. The behaviors of contact with objects, walking and the social behavior were lower in PAY supplemental group (P<0.05) than control group in experiment 1. In experiment 2, iron licking in PAY supplemental group was significantly lower (P<0.05) than that of the control group, when piglet aged 4 and 6 weeks. The body weight gains of both the groups were similar in both experiments. In conclusion, it was suggested that there was a possibility that PAY as a supplement to piglet diet reduces the action related to the iron intake.
