Renal cysts in pigs: prevalence and pathology in slaughtered pigs from a single herd

An abattoir investigation into kidney condemnations due to renal cysts in pork pigs from one producer showed a prevalence of 47.5 per cent. Affected pigs were the progeny of a landrace boar. Similar cysts found in a small sample of day-old piglets sired by the same boar indicated a congenital origin. A marked variation in size and frequency of cysts in the kidneys of slaughtered pigs was seen, some resembling the severity of polycystic kidneys. Histologically cysts appeared to be of tubular origin. The prevalence of affected pigs in slaughter groups from the single herd could be genetically determined. If this were so the data would be consistent with autosomal dominant inheritance. A breeding experiment to examine this hypothesis is in progress.