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The Influence of Feeding Conditions on Urine Ph and Plasma Bicarbonate Levels in Healthy Sheep
Innvirkningen av forskjellig fôring på urin pH og plasma bikarbonat hos sau
Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica volume 10, pages 1–9 (1969)
Abstract
In healthy sheep the reaction of the urine has generally been accepted to be on the alkaline side (Bentinck-Smith 1963). Thus Healy et al. (1928) only found 2 of 40 healthy sheep with an acid urine. Bentinck-Smith reported that nursing animals in contrast to adults will produce an acid urine. However, the influence of feeding on urine pH and plasma bicarbonate levels in sheep does not seem to have been systematically investigated. During recent years it has often been observed in this laboratory that healthy animals, examined as a matter of routine, may produce an acid urine. Based on these observations healthy sheep under different feeding conditions were examined in order to elucidate the influence of the diet on the pH of the urine and the plasma bicarbonate content. Since an excessive lactic acid production and increased fat metabolism may also influence the acid-base balance, the lactic acid concentration of rumen fluid was determined, and the urine was tested for ketone bodies.
Sammendrag
I et materiale på ialt 1248 urinprøver fra friske lam, gimrer, søyer og værer, ialt 244 dyr, under forskjellige fôringsforhold, ble det i 92 % av prøvene målt pH lavere enn 7, i gjennomsnitt ca. 6. I et forsøk med 8 ett år gamle lam ble det foret med høy, beite og silo med eller uten tilskudd av kraftfor. Det ble målt urin pH, mengde titrerbar syre i urin, plasma bikarbonat og melkesyreinnhold i vomsaft. 83 % av urinprøvene fra dyr, som fikk høy, var alkalisk, gjennomsnittlig 7,59, og tilskudd av kraftfôr ga en ökning i urin pH, gjennomsnittlig 7,70. Prøver fra dyr, som gikk på beite og fra dem som fikk silo, hadde gjennomsnittlig urin pH 6,96 og 6,49 med henholdsvis 63 % og 40 % på den alkaliske side. Tilskudd av kraftfôr reduserte urin pH, i gjennomsnitt henholdsvis 0,38 og 0,17 pH-enheter. Plasma bikarbonatverdiene varierte fra 14,7 til 30,8 meq./l, og gjenspeilte urinens pH. Melkesyreinnholdet i vomsaft var mindre enn 1 mg/100 ml hos alle dyr.
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Acknowledgment
I wish to thank Professor Dr. Weiert Velle for his advice and helpful suggestions in preparing this manuscript.
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Hjelle, A. The Influence of Feeding Conditions on Urine Ph and Plasma Bicarbonate Levels in Healthy Sheep. Acta Vet Scand 10, 1–9 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03548291
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03548291