Iron Levels in Amaranthus Varieties

This research report presents, discusses and reveals the potential of amaranthus as apotential source of iron in monogastric animals. Amaranthus is a nutritious plant eaten as a vegetable in many regions of Zambia. Among the many varieties available in nature three (3) varieties are dominant in Southern Zambia, namely; hybridus, palmeri and spinosus. Its use in monogastrics has proved to be beneficial since it has been observed to improve monogastric productivity without adverse effects. The efficacy of amaranthus as a source of iron in monogastrics has not been evaluated. The major nutritional challenge facing most rural piggery units is high mortality of piglets associated with iron deficiency. Conventional methods of iron supplementation are too expensive for rural farmers. Cheap locally available plant materials such as amaranthus could provide solution to the challenge of iron deficiency. The study was conducted to profile iron levels in three pigweed (Amaranthus) varieties. The study was further designed to establish whether there are differences in iron content among the three (3) species of Amaranthus used in the study. The three (3) species of Amaranthus used in the study included Amaranthus spinosus, Amaranthus palmeri and Amaranthus hybridus. Three (3) samples of each species were randomly selected and each sample was replicated three (3) times giving nine (9) samples for each and a total of twenty seven (27) samples. The samples were designated as A, B and C for A. spinosus, A. palmeri and A. hybridus respectively. The iron contents were determined by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) after ashing and dissolving in acid. Differences among treatment means were compared using F-test. Levels of iron content differed significantly (p<0.05) among the three (3) species. Mean values ranged from 163.16 ± 51.2 ppm to 435.16± 51.2 ppm for palmeri and hybridus respectively. The current study recommends that farmers consider the use of hybridus species as an alternative source of iron supplement in piglets. Further research should be carried out on the feeding trial to assess the effectiveness of the hybridus species on the growth performance of piglets.