Urolithiasis in pullets and laying hens: role of dietary calcium and phosphorus.

A study was conducted to test the independent and combined effects of high dietary calcium and low available phosphorus on the incidence of urolithiasis in pullets and laying hens. One thousand Single Comb White Leghorn pullets were divided into four diet treatment groups beginning at 50 days of age. A normal calcium (1%), normal available phosphorus (.6%) diet (NCNP) was fed to control pullets. Other pullet groups were fed a high calcium (3.25%), normal available phosphorus (.6%) diet (HCNP), a normal calcium (1%), low available phosphorus (.4%) diet (NCLP), or a high calcium (3.25%), low available phosphorus (.4%) diet (HCLP). At 18 weeks of age, 368 pullets were necropsied. One percent of the HCNP group and 14% of the HCLP group developed urolithiasis. Urolithiasis was not found in pullets raised on the NCNP and NCLP diets. The remaining pullets were transferred to laying cages and were fed a commercial layer ration until they were 51 weeks old. None of the hens raised on the NCNP diet, 12% of the hens raised on the HCNP diet, 2% of the hens raised on the NCLP diet, and 14% of the hens raised on the HCLP diet had urolithiasis. Renal function studies were performed on 18-week-old pullets and 51-week-old hens. Pullets raised on the HCLP diet had significantly higher urine pH, significantly lower fractional inorganic phosphate excretion, and significantly higher fractional calcium excretion when compared with pullets raised on the other diet treatments. The profound effect of the HCLP diet on renal calcium and phosphorus excretion in pullets was not retained in the hens.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)