Renal lesions in cattle fed sodium hydroxide-treated barley

Ten 14-week-old calves were fed a diet containing 87.5% NaOH-treated barley, and killed after 29, 65, 75, 117, 140, 179, 314, 338, and 408 days. Eight control calves were fed a diet in which untreated rolled barley was substituted for alkali-treated grain. Calves receiving NaOH-treated barley became polyuric with urine pH ranging from 9.0 to 9.5, and had significantly raised plasma creatinine levels on day 29. Other clinical findings were normal, and there were no other significant alterations in blood. At necropsy, bilateral renal lesions consisted of white cortical foci, medullary stippling, and the presence of uroliths in the renal papillae and calyces. Microscopic changes included tubular dilatation, atrophy, necrosis, and mineralization, interstitial fibrosis with mononuclear cell invasion and consequent glomerular changes. It appeared that glomerular and interstitial changes were secondary to primary tubular damage. No abnormalities were detected in control calves. Feeding of NaOH-treated barley can result in nephrotoxicosis in cattle.