[The usefulness of urine analysis for the diagnosis of macroscopic lesions of the urogenital system of sows during slaughter]. / De bruikbaarheid van urine-onderzoek voor het opsporen van macroscopische afwijkingen aan het urogenitaalapparaat van zeugen bij het slachten.

As part of a research project concerned with the monitoring of health problems in sows, the practicability of post-mortem urinalysis of sows during slaughter was studied to determine the extent to which this analysis was useful. Samples of urine were taken from 232 sows after slaughter to test them for pH, nitrite and blood concentrations by test strips (Combur-8, Boehringer Mannheim). Positive results of testing were found not to be associated with pathological disorders of the genito-urinary system to any marked extent. Samples of urine taken pre- as well as post-mortem from 111 other sows were subjected to same tests. During the process of slaughter, the pH was found to show a decrease, whereas the concentrations of protein and blood increased. The results of post-mortem tests for nitrite were definitely not correlated with those of pre-mortem tests. The results of testing urine sampled prior to slaughter at the farm were related to post-mortem pathological findings to a greater extent than were the results of testing after slaughter.