Comparison of efficacy of needle-free injection versus injection by needle for iron supplementation of piglets: a double blind randomized controlled trial

Table 4 Estimated difference in means and the 95% confidence interval* of Haematocrit (Ht in vol%) between three iron supplementation methods (Needle-Free injection, injection by needle and no treatment) in course of time from the multivariate model

Model parameter	Time point	Effect estimate (Vol%)	95% confidence interval
			Lower limit	Upper limit
Mean Ht of C group	On day 3	0.29	0.27	0.30
Effect of time	Day 14	0.00	− 0.02	0.02
	Day 26	0.03	0.01	0.06
	Day 40	0.04	0.02	0.06
Additional effects (difference between means) of group at time points relative to the same time point of the Control group
Needle group (N)	On day 3	− 0.01	− 0.03	0.01
	Day 14	0.07^b	0.05	0.09
	Day 26	0.06^b	0.04	0.08
	Day 40	0.01	− 0.01	0.03
Needle-free group (NF)	On day 3	− 0.03^a	− 0.04	− 0.01
	Day 14	0.06^b	0.04	0.08
	Day 26	0.05^b	0.03	0.07
	Day 40	0.00	− 0.02	0.02

*If a confidence interval includes the 0 value there is no significant effect observed
^aA significant difference in the NF group is observed on day 3 compared to group C
^bSignificant increases of Ht on day 14 and 26 in group N and NF are observed as well

ISSN: 2055-5660