Authors : Zheng-Shun Wen, Xiao-Liang Pan, Zi-Rong Xu and Xiao-Ting Zou
Abstract: The objective of this 90 days study was to establish possible association of addition of cottonseed meal with occurrence of urolithiasis in sheep. Total 18 chinese merino male sheep were allotted randomly to three dietary treatments which were the control (C, corn-soybean meal), corn-cottonseed meal A (CA, 461.5 g day-1 cottonseed meal) and corn-cottonseed meal B (CB, 661.5 g day-1 cottonseed meal), respectively. Total 5 sheep with urolithiasis (urinary tract blockage) were observed in CB group. Blood and urine samples were obtained from three treatments every 30 days intervals. Cottonseed meal diets significantly increased the levels of blood Magnesium (Mg) (p<0.05), potassium (K) (p<0.05), Phosphorus (P) (p<0.05). The higher levels of blood magnesium (Mg) (p<0.05), potassium (K) (p<0.05) were observed in sheep with urolithiasis (4 bladder stones and one kidney stone) while the level of blood Phosphorus (P) (p<0.05) was low in comparison with that of sheep given cottonseed meal. There were some prismatic crystals with granules similar to Potassium Magnesium Phosphate (KMgPO4.6H2O) and ammonium magnesium phosphate (NH4MgPO4.6H2O) in bladder and urine sediments. In this study, high intake of cottonseed meal with increase of Mg, K and P may contribute to urolithiasis under the condition of this study, high level cottonseed meal is a good dietary model for inducing urolithiasis in sheep.
Zheng-Shun Wen, Xiao-Liang Pan, Zi-Rong Xu and Xiao-Ting Zou, 2011. Effect of Dietary Cottonseed Meal on the Occurrence of Urolithiasis in Chinese Merino Sheep from Xinjiang Region (China): A Pilot Study. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 10: 1383-1388.