Abstract
We surveyed the incidence of urinary calculi for feeding period, urinary lesion, composition of calculi and changes of serum chemistry with Korean native castrated steers, which are growing until 26 through 31 months. Without showing any clinical signs such as urethral obstruction, hydronephrosis and strangury for all group, $37.8\%$ (34 out of 90) of Korean native steers carried urinary calculi in carcass. The incidence of urine calculi far different feeding stages from 26 to 31 months were observed as $13.3-60.0\%$er, no significant differences were detected. The distribution of calculi were kidney $(24.4\%)$, kidney and bladder $(10\%)$ and kidney, bladder and urine $(3.3\%)$. Congestion of urinary bladder was shown in $26.6\%$ of Korean native steers. Korean native steers with urinary calculi $(41.2\%)$ had more possibilities (P<0.05) to bring outbreaks of congestion of urinary bladder than those of without calculi $(17.8\%)$. The main composition of calculi were struvite (magnesium ammonium phosphate crystals), calcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, calcium oxalate, non-oxalate calcium, ammonia and phosphate. The distribution of urine pH was $71.7\%$(above pH 8.0), $12.2\%$ (between pH 7.0 and pH 8.0) and $16.6\%$ (under pH 7.0). Like shown in herbivores, most of the urine pH was distributed as alkaline urine. Serum creatinine was shown significant difference (P<0.05) according to incidence of calculi but other serum chemistry didn't show any difference in serum chemistry. These results suggest that feeding until 26 to 31 months in Korean native steers castrated at 6 months of the age elicits urinary calculi and congestion of urinary bladder, but not clinical abnormality. And adjustment of the dietary Can ratio to a level of 2:1 or greater during feeding period may reduce the possibility of incidence of urinary calculi in Korean native steers.
