Urine analysis in pig - application in herd management

Kidney diseases as well as lower urinary tract diseases occur relatively often in pigs, especially in sows. Occasionally acids are used in sow-feeding to prevent urinary tract diseases by lowering the urine pH. Because this systemically acting acidification influences the acid-base and mineral homeostasis and possibly also the kidney health of the animals, laboratory diagnostic and especially metabolite analyses of the urine of pigs are of value in the scope of herd management. Urine samples are quite easily obtained using spontaneously emicted midstream urine of a representative group of sows. Immediate measuring of the pH and sensory assessment of the sample as well as measuring NSBA, Na, K, Ca and P in the laboratory, have proven to be useful parameters. Depending on the investigated issue the following parameters can be analyzed: Mg, Cl, protein, creatinine, density, GGT, sediment (erythrocytes, leukocytes, epithelial cells) as well as bacteriological and/or molecular diagnostic methods for pathogen identification. The values of the above mentioned parameters vary depending on the feeding and watering management and not least on the use of acids. Therefore only preliminary standard values are given to evaluate particular parameters. Based on two case reports the implementation of urine analyses in sows is demonstrated to encourage veterinarians to use urine sampling in pig herd management.