Medición de pH urinario mediante tiras reactivas y su asociación con la producción lechera de una finca en la provincia de Manabí.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of test strips as a rapid tool to determine urinary pH in dairy cows, a key indicator of acid-base balance that can reveal metabolic alterations. A sample of 100 cows was analyzed, collecting urine by subvulvar massage to measure pH and evaluate its relationship with variables such as age, body condition, parity and milk production. The results showed that 50 % of the cows had an alkaline urinary pH, 24 % acidic and 26 % neutral. A weak correlation was found between pH and milk production (R²=0.13), but no significant associations were found with other variables. These findings suggest that urinary pH could be influenced by factors such as diet and timing of sampling. Given the high proportion of cows with alkaline pH, blood tests are recommended to confirm the presence of possible metabolic disorders.