Effect of Ammonium Salts on the Production of Ovine Urinary Calculi

Summary

Four different ammonium salts (ammonium chloride, ammonium sulfate, diammonium phosphate and a commercial ammonium polyphosphate preparation) which decrease urine pH were added to a calculogenic diet to determine their effect in preventing urinary calculi in wether lambs. Based upon the production of clinical cases, daily gain, feed consumption and feed efficiency, ammonium chloride appeared to be the preferred compound to control calculi closely followed by ammonium sulfate. However, ammonium chloride was the only treatment in which clinical cases of calculi did not develop. The ammonium polyphosphate solution decreased the number of clinical cases while diammonium phosphate had no effect. When the total number of lambs with stones (acute plus chronic) was used in place of clinical cases, both ammonium chloride and ammonium sulfate significantly reduced the incidence of calculi. The ammonium polyphosphate solution tended to decrease calculi (.1>P>.O5) while diammonium phosphate produced a nonsignificant increase.

© American Society of Animal Science 1970