Oral Iron + B12 + Folic Acid (Feritas / Ferikind): veterinary dose and monograph

At a glance

Drug class

Veterinary drug

Also known as

Feritas, Ferikind Vet, Haematinic bolus

Species with doses

Cattle, Horses, Goats, Sheep and Pigs

Routes

PO

Last reviewed

1 October 2026

Indications

• Nutritional anaemia (iron deficiency)
• Post-parasitic / post-deworming recovery anaemia
• Periparturient support — pre- and post-calving
• Repeat-breeder cow with subclinical anaemia
• Chronic disease anaemia adjunct

Oral Iron + B12 + Folic Acid (Feritas / Ferikind) dose by species

Doses are per administration unless stated. mg/kg doses scale with body weight; per-animal, per-quarter and infusion-rate doses are shown as the reference writes them.

Cattle

• Adult cow / buffalo: Catalogue Feritas: 2 boluses daily × 10–15 days orally after feed. Ferikind solution: 40–50 mL PO daily.
• Calf: Catalogue: 0.5 bolus daily × 10–15 days. Ferikind 5–10 mL PO.

Horses

• Adult horse: Catalogue: 2 boluses daily × 10–15 days.

Goats

• Goat: Catalogue: 0.5 bolus daily × 10–15 days; Ferikind 5–10 mL PO.

Sheep

• Sheep: Catalogue: 0.5 bolus daily × 10–15 days; Ferikind 5–10 mL PO.

Pigs

• Adult pig: Catalogue: Ferikind 5–10 mL PO; piglets 1–2 mL.

Buffalo

No buffalo-specific doses are on file, so buffalo are dosed as cattle.

• Adult cow / buffalo: Catalogue Feritas: 2 boluses daily × 10–15 days orally after feed. Ferikind solution: 40–50 mL PO daily.
• Calf: Catalogue: 0.5 bolus daily × 10–15 days. Ferikind 5–10 mL PO.

Contraindications

Iron overload conditions (rare in food animals). Severe hepatic disease. Concurrent oral antibiotics — iron chelates tetracyclines and fluoroquinolones (separate by 2 h).

Species-specific warnings

Cattle: Standard haematinic for cattle and buffalo. 2 boluses daily × 2 weeks after deworming or for periparturient support.

Adverse effects

• Constipation / dark stool
• GI irritation (high oral doses)

Pregnancy and lactation

Safe in pregnancy — actually beneficial periparturient.

Monitoring

• PCV / haemoglobin every 2 weeks
• Stool consistency (constipation common)
• Appetite and weight gain trend

Clinical pearls

• Post-deworming recovery in heavy parasite load goat: Feritas 0.5 bolus PO daily × 14 d restores PCV faster than alternative
• Repeat-breeder dairy cow with subclinical anaemia (PCV 22–24): Feritas 2 boluses PO daily × 15 d alongside reproductive workup
• Always separate iron from oral tetracyclines / fluoroquinolones by 2 h — iron chelates these antibiotics
• Periparturient cow with pale mucous membranes: Ferikind 40–50 mL PO daily × 2 weeks + Tribivet 5 mL IM weekly is a low-cost cocktail

Mechanism of action

Ferrous fumarate is absorbed in the duodenum and proximal jejunum → incorporated into haemoglobin via transferrin transport. Folic acid and B12 are required cofactors for DNA synthesis in erythropoiesis — together they prevent the megaloblastic component of anaemia from purely iron supplementation.

Formulations and products

• Feritas bolus — Ferrous fumarate 1500 mg + B12 75 µg + Folic acid 7.5 mg per bolus (Intas)
• Ferikind oral solution — Ferrous fumarate 28 mg/mL + B12 + cobalt + copper (Mankind)
• Feritas (Intas (Neovet)) — Ferrous fumarate 1500 mg + B12 75 µg + Folic acid 7.5 mg per bolus, Oral bolus
• Ferikind Vet (Mankind Veticura) — Ferrous fumarate 28 mg/mL + multi-mineral / vitamin oral solution, Oral solution

Storage

15–25 °C dry place.

Before you use this dose

Reference doses for veterinary professionals. Confirm the dose against the product label, the patient’s condition, current guidance and local regulations before use; the attending veterinarian remains responsible for every clinical decision.

Other hormones, emergency drugs, supplements and other drugs

• Neostigmine
• Oclacitinib
• Octreotide
• Oral Calcium / Phosphorus Bolus (Calcimust)
• Oxytocin
• Penicillamine (D-Penicillamine)
• Pentoxifylline
• Pergolide

Frequently asked questions