THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ANIMAL PRODUCTION 185
The Experiment
A purebred Shropshire ram was bred to a representative
group of native ewes in the falls of 1927, 1928, and 1929. Individual weights, measurements, and pictures were made at
various intervals throughout the test. The wether lambs
were slaughtered when around 80 pounds in w e i g h t and the
ewe lambs were retained in the flock.
For the three seasons the average weight of the old ewes
at lambing was 76 pounds and the average birth weight of
their lambs was 8.9 pounds.
Considering the first-cross two-year-old ewes as practically
mature at shearing time the improvements over the old ewes
were as follows:
1. An average increase in weight of ~7 pounds or 50 per
cent.
2. An average increase in weight of fleece of 3.96 pounds
or 138 per cent.
3. An average increase in length of staple of 1.13 inches
or 49 per cent.
The improvement in conformation and in quality of fleece
was also very noticeable.
U R I N A R Y CALCULI IN S H E E P
A PROGRESS R E P O R T
B. E. PONTIUS, R. H. CARR and L. P. DOYLE
Purdue University
Frequent references to "gravel" and "stones" in early English livestock literature indicate that they have long been
known and recognized by experienced sheep men. The cause
o f their formation has been commonly attributed to one or
more of the following: (1) roots, particularly mangels, (2)
hard water, (3) high condition, (4) lack of exercise, and (5)
chilling in the early spring after shearing. Calculi have been
produced experimentally in rats, rabbits and guinea pigs. This
has been accomplished by introducing Proteus ammoniac into
the bladder, or by feeding a ration deficient in vitamin A and
in protein of animal origin, or by feeding a ration deficient in
vitamins A and C or by feeding oxamide.
186 THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ANIMAL PRODUCTION
Frequency of Occurrence
Forty-five replies to a questionnaire sent to 53 sheep men
in different parts of the United States and Canada gave some
important data. Of this number, only eight reported that
they had had no calculi trouble in their flocks and did not know
of its occurrence.
Forty different men reported 235 cases
covering a time range of from two to fifteen years. During
the past five years twelve definite cases have been observed
in the Purdue purebred flock. Fifteen western feeder lambs
which were brought to the Purdue veterinary clinic for postmortem diagnoses had calculi. During the winter of 1929-30
there were fifteen cases in the 224 western feeding lambs
which were fed at the Purdue station. Five died from calculi during the feeding period, and of the 219 which were
posted when slaughtered ten had calculi and 67 showed irritation in their urinary tracts. A number of cases which have
Fig. I. The anatomical features of the u r i n a r y t r a c t of male sheep f a v o r the
lodgment of calculi, especially in the urethral portion. The three places in the penlal
u r e t h r a most freqpently affected are, the ischial curve, the siffmoid curvature, a n d
the proecssus urethrae or "woTm". The changes in direction and the a c c o m p a n y i n g
n a r r o w i n g of the lumen of the u r e t h r a at the c u r v a t u r e s m a k e it difficult f o r calculi to
pass these points. The small lumen of the proeessus u r e t h r a e Is likely to cause t h e
retention of ca/culi of any appreciable size. Ibcawing by Elizabeth Hulas, P u r d u e
Bioloiff Dcpartmemt, partially adapted f r o m Scisson's " A n a t o m y of Domestic A n i m a l s " .
188
THE
AMERICAN
SOCIETY
OF
ANIMAL
PRODUCTION
The Effect of I~ation on Calculi Formation
Since calculi in sheep have been attributed to roots, particularly mangels, by so many sheep men, three different rations
were selected f o r comparisons. Three sheep were placed in each
of three different lots. Lot 1 was fed alfalfa hay only; Lot
2, corn silage and grain, 2 oats, 1 corn; Lot 3, mangels and
corn stover. These rations were fed f o r six weeks and composite samples of urine and feces were taken daily during this
period. Two sheep were placed in the crate for each run and
the runs were of t w e n t y - f o u r hour duration. The data obtained f r o m these trials are given in Table 1.
T A B ~ 1--AMOUNT OF FEED AND WATER CONSUMED, AND AMOUNT AND COMPOSITION OF U R I N E VOIDED
( W e i g h t s e x p r e s s e d in p o u n d s )
Loti
_ _
Average daily feed consumption--
[
Grain ....................................
Alfalfa hay ...............................
Mangels ..................................
Corn silage ...............................
Corn stover ........................................
Water ....................................
U r i n e v o i d e d d a i l y , cc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
A v e r a g e p H c o n c e n t r a t i o n of u r i n e . . . . . . . . . .
P e r c e n t of t o t a l s o l i d s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
P e r c e n t of a s h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cc. of 0.20 N H C I to n e u t r a l i z e 100 cc. u r i n e .
j..........
I
2.6
I
2.87
I . . . . . . . ....~ . . . . . . . . .
I. . . . . . . . . .
{
1.75
!. . . . . . . . .
J
2.79
1.44
I 312
225
}
9.0+
7.16
17.1
13.4
'
11.1
3.5
90 6
2
__
Lot 2
_ _
Lot 3
..........
11.0
'"016""
0.0
2,310
8.62
3.26
1.82
33.2
I. . . . . . . . . .
These data indicate that an abnormally large quantity of
nutrient material was being eliminated by way of the kidneys
in Lot 1. The large ash content was evidently w a t e r soluble,
as there was no evidence of the formation of any gravel. Lot
2 produced a more normal urine. The relatively large amount
of 0.20 N HC1 required to neutralize the alkalinity of the ash
of the very dilute urine f r o m Lot 3 appears to be very significant. This was due largely to the presence of compounds
of potassium in relatively large amounts. Since this element
does not f o r m many compounds which are insoluble in water,
it is not probable that calculi formation is due to the presence of roots in the ration. It would seem r a t h e r that beets
m a y serve to prevent the formation of calculi through the production of w a t e r soluble in place of w a t e r insoluble compounds.
THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ANIMAL PRODUCTION 189
Other Rations Studied
In addition to tile observations made in the first trial the
effect of eleven different feed combinations on crystal formation in urine upon standing was noted in a second series o f
trials.
The rations fed were:
(1) corn silage, 1 corn, 3
oats; (2) corn silage, 3 oats, 1 bran; (3) corn silage, clover
hay; (4) alfalfa hay, corn; (5) alfalfa hay, oats; (6) alfalfa
hay, 2 corn, 2 oats, 1 bran; (7) alfalfa hay, 3 corn, 1 oats;
(8) rape pasture; (9) rape, 3 corn, 1 oats; (10) rape, bluegrass, 3 corn, 1 oats; (11) bluegrass, 2 corn, 2 oats, 1 bran.
Rape produced somewhat more basic urine than bluegrass.
The rape urine contained more calcium, magnesium, phosphate and silicate compounds than bluegrass urine and there
were a few crystals formed in the standing urine. The alfalfa-oats ration produced urine with a low per cent of solids,
which is indicative of efficient utilization of the food nutrients.
The alfalfa-corn urine was more basic, but the percentage of
solids was slightly lower than in the alfalfa-oats urine. The
pH concentration of the two urines was nearly the same. The
oats-corn-bluegrass ration gave a urine ash with a more basic
reaction than alfalfa and oats, but it was lower in total solids
and percentage of ash. Urine from the alfalfa hay-corn-oatsbran ration was basic, but not as basic as the ash from silageclover hay urine. The per cent of total solids was relatively
low (9.4) and the per cent of urine ash {4.1) was about the
average for all the rations tested. The significant thing
about this urine was that crystals could be seen in it within
24 hours after it had been voided and in 72 hours the deposit had become very large. The phosphorus, contributed
chiefly by the bran, makes water insoluble combinations with
calcium, magnesium and aluminum which are precipitated
when the pH concentration is about 8.2. When rape and
grain were fed every sample of urine obtained produced crystals within one week after it was voided.
The volume of urine voided is highly variable. It is influenced by changes in temperature, amount of water consumed,
the character of the ration fed and the individuality of the
sheep. Results obtained from other trials now in progress
indicate that the nature of the urine affords an important
guide to the utilization of a ration and has a notable effect in
producing calculi. Whether or not the high alkalinity of the
190
THE
AMERICAN
SOCIETY
OF ANIMAL
PRODUCTION
samples tested represents normal concentration for the sheep
or whether this is due to physiological changes which take
place in the urinary tract after the urine is formed remains
to be determined. Every sample obtained from the bladders
of sheep which had calculi has been strongly alkaline. It is
known that the phosphates do not come out of solution until
the pH concentration reaches 8.2. Highly alkaline urine is
an irritant and the writers believe that this is not a normal
condition and that it may be a predisposing cause of calculi
formation.
FACTORS INVOLVED IN T H E FATTENING OF SHOW
WETHERS
L. J. HORLACHER
University of Kentucky
'this paper is presented with the idea of pointing out the
fact that nmch valuable data may be obtained from sheep
which are being fattened for exhibition purposes by the various agricultural colleges of the country.
The first point is the effect of breed upon the gains made.
During the years of 1928 and 1930 records were kept on the
show flock of the University of Kentucky for a period of six
weeks just preceding the close of the fattening period. The
breeds represented were Hampshire, Southdown, grade Southdown and Cheviot. Table 1 shows the average daily gains
in pounds made by these sheep.
G ~ N MArE BY FAPrZmSG SHOW SHEEP D u m s ~ LAST SIx WEEKS
Breed
Hampshire..
Grade.
Southdown.
Cheviot.
Average.
Number
14
10
14
17
Lamb8
average
daily gain
Yearlings
average
daily gain
Both
average
daily gain
.57
.49
.36
.32
.45
.44
.38
.43
.53
.47
.37
.36
943
.43
.43
From this table it is seen that the Hampshires made the
most rapid gains; the grade Southdowns ranked second; the