Urinary Calculi in sheep and goats
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EmailProper feeding can reduce the risk of urinary calculi in goats.
Urinary Calculi, a urinary-tract condition in goats and sheep, prevents both urination and breeding in males. The twists and turns of the male urethra make passing solid particles difficult at best and impossible at worst. Urinary Calculi is a disease that can and does kill animals quickly.
Urinary Calculi is almost always the result of improper feeding by the producer. A proper calcium-to-phosphorus ratio in feed, hay and minerals is critical; this ratio should be 2.5 to 1. Although the disease is called Urinary Calculi, the real culprit is phosphorus, specifically too much phosphorus in relation to the amount of calcium in the diet. Feeding too much concentrated feed and/or feeding concentrates with an improper calcium-to-phosphorus ratio is a major cause of Urinary Calculi. Overfeeding or improper feeding of concentrates can cause solid particles to develop in the urine and can develop into a blockage of urine, resulting in great pain, discomfort and ultimately death.
Besides concentrates, there can be other factors affecting the calcium-to-phosphorus ratio in the animal's diet. If the minerals being fed have the proper calcium-to-phosphorus ratio and the animals are not being fed a diet heavy in concentrates, then the producer should have both water and hay tested for mineral content if the farm has a problem with Urinary Calculi.
Animals used for show purposes are prone to Urinary Calculi because their owners tend to over-feed concentrates. Young wethers (castrated males) are especially susceptible to Urinary Calculi. Castration stops both testosterone production and the growth of the urethra. Solid particles cannot pass through a urethra that has not been given the opportunity to grow to its normal diameter. The chance of contracting Urinary Calculi in male show animals can be reduced by delaying castration as long as possible, giving the diameter of the urethra time to grow. The addition of hay or some other type of long fiber to the animal's diet is absolutely critical in helping to avoid Urinary Calculi. This can be a big problem with some show-animal producers because they tend to take animals off long fiber and feed them concentrates.
Urinary Calculi requires immediate medical attention. This condition will not correct itself and if left untreated, the animal will die. If you suspect Urinary Calculi in your animal, Michigan State University Extension recommends contacting your veterinarian for treatment options. Symptoms of Urinary Calculi include tail twitching, restlessness, anxiety and a "hunched up" body posture as the animal strains to urinate. Sometimes producers misdiagnose the problem as constipation or bloat because of the animal’s behavior and body stance.
Do not force an animal with Urinary Calculi to drink large amounts of water; if fluids can't leave the body because the exit is blocked, the only alternative is for the bladder to rupture. A burst bladder cannot be fixed and is fatal.
The key to avoiding Urinary Calculi is feeding the animal a proper diet. Producers experiencing Urinary Calculi in their animals must change their feeding regimens. Carefully read feed labels for proper calcium-to-phosphorus ratios (2 1/2:1). Some prepared goat and sheep feeds contain ammonium chloride in the formulation to help prevent Urinary Calculi, but this is no guarantee that Urinary Calculi will be avoided. Most importantly, offer lots of free-choice forage/browse and good-quality grass hay, and reduce the amount of concentrates being fed.