Pregnancy Detection Flashcards

1
Q

In general how is pregnancy detected?

A
  • Palpation of the reproductive tract (trans-rectal or abdominal)
  • Imaging of the reproductive tract (radiograph or ultrasound)
  • Measurement of hormone concentrations (blood or other fluids)
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2
Q

How is pregnancy detected in beef cattle herds?

A
  • Have a controlled breeding season - 60-90 days
  • Done through a herd assessment:
    • Goal - get a lot of cows pregnant (most in the first 20 days of breeding)
    • Determine success of proceeding breeding season
    • Provide diagnostic information
    • Identify open cows for alternate management
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3
Q

How is pregnancy detected in Dairy Cattle herds?

A
  • Some dairies are seasonal - controlled 60 day breeding season similar to beef herds
  • Most dairies breed year-around
    • Results in steady milk supply
  • Mostly an individual cow assessment
    • Determine dry-off date (40-60 day prior to lactation)
    • Determine if cow should continue in breeding pool
    • Assess herd breeding program
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4
Q

What types of pregnancy tests exist for cattle?

A
  • Milk or blood progesterone assay
    • Milk progesterone values correlate with blood values
    • Remember the fluctuation of progesterone concentrations over an estrous cycle
      • Must know breeding date - and test at specific time after that breeding date (21-24 days post breeding)
      • If progesterone is found to be low = Not pregnant
      • If progesterone is found to be high = pregnant or in diestrus
  • PSPB - Pregnancy specific protein B
    • Can be detected as early as 25 days of gestation
    • Remains in blood for up to 3 months after parturition (or abortion)
  • Early Conception Factor (ECF)
    • Can be detected as early as 6 days of gestation
    • Although promoted by advertisements and anecdotal testimonials
    • Results of studies have shown unacceptable accuracy (48-96% false-positive, 14-95% false negative)
  • Detection of Estrus
  • Ultrasonography
    • Routinely accurate at 28day gestation
    • Can determine sex of fetus between 55-65 day gestation (up to 75day - but more difficult)
      • very difficult as fetus grows and uterus pulled over pelvis (~ day 90)
  • Uterine palpation per rectum
    • Routinely accurate by 35 day gestation (possible by 28 days)
    • Fast and accurate with experience
    • Less information than ultrasound
      • ovarian structures, fetal sex, fetal viability
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5
Q

How can the age of gestation in cattle be determined?

A
  • Fluid Volume:
    • 35 days = slight amount of fluid in the uterus
      • able to “slip” fetal membranes
    • 40 days = 75mL
      • slightly more fluid than 35 days
      • Uterine wall is thinning
    • 60 days = 300mL
      • Pregnant horn is size of a banana
      • Still able to hold the entire tract in hand
    • 90 days = 1000mL
      • Can still reach around entire tract - but just barely
      • Routinely “bump” the calf
      • Routinely feel placentomes
    • 120 days = 3000mL
      • Cannot reach around entire tract
      • Placentomes are prominent - neckel-sized
      • Fremitus in mid-uterine artery on pregnant side
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6
Q

What structures can cause confusion when trying to determine the age of gestion in cattle?

A
  • Bladder
  • Back of Rumen
  • Left Kidney
  • Gas bubble in intestine
  • Pyometra
  • Lymphoma
  • Uterine involution (post calving)
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7
Q

What are the different ways Ultrasound can be utilized in pregnancy detection and gestation determination in cattle?

A
  • Pregnancy Diagnosis
    • a little earlier preg detection
      • 28 days vs 35 days
    • Able to assess fetal viability
    • Able to determine sex
    • Little slower than palpation
    • “Wow” factor
  • Sex determination:
    • Genital tubercle is in noticeably different position by about 55 days of gestation
      • located immediately caudal to umbilicus in male
      • located just ventral to tail in female
    • Much past 70 days - difficult to consistently get right area of fetus on the screen
  • Recognize early embryonic loss
    • ~17% of 28-day embryos are lost by day 56
    • Early pregnancy detection (US or palpation ) does not Cause embryo loss (unless very rough)
  • Embryo Transfer
    • Identify recipients with CL
    • Follow follicular dynamic of donor cow - count CLs at flushing
  • Dairy - Early non-pregnancy determination coupled with re-synchronization protocol
    • coupled with timed insemination to optimize use of labor
    • reduces “days open”
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8
Q

How does an Integrated Reproductive Program in cattle work?

A
  • All reproductive activities are on Tues and Thurs
  • Ultrasound every Tuesday
  • AI every Thursday
  • 35 day interval between AI breeding
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9
Q

How is Pregnancy detected in Horses?

A
  • Equine Chorionic Gonadotropin (eCG)
    • At 36-38 days of gestation, fetal chorionic tissue invades the endometrium and forms endometrial cups - these cups secrete eCG (aka PMSG)
    • eCG acts to luteinize the normal follicular waves tat are occurring and results in the formation of secondary (accessory) CLs
    • eCG levels peak about day 60-80 of gestation
    • eCG assays will detect a high percentge (>90%) of pregnancies by day 42 (may be a good alternative for miniature horses)
    • But, eCG remains elevated if the pregnancy is lost - therefore a non-pregnant mare can have high serum eCG values
  • Estrogens
    • Cuboni Test
    • Fluorescence of urine due to estrogen
    • Will accurately detect pregnancy by 100 - 150 days of gestation (also easily palpated per rectum)
  • Estrone sulfate:
    • Present in serum, urine and even feces of the pregnant mare
    • Because non-invasive samples can be used - this test is utilized for assessing wild equine reproduction
    • After day 44 of gestation, high estrone sulfate is associated with fetal viability
  • Early Pregnancy Factor (EPF)
    • Immunosuppressive protein secreted by the early embryo
    • Detected as early as 24-72 hours after mating and remains elevated through the second trimester of gestation (no present in 3rd trimester)
    • Poor test accuracy (sens 43% / spec 52%)
  • Cervical Tone and appearance
    • Progesterone from CLs (primary and accessory) peak at day 80-90
    • High levels of progesterone cause the cervix and uterus to have exaggerated tone
    • From day 16 to the end of gestation the cervix is elongated and firm and the uterus has an increased tone
  • Uterine palpation per rectum and transrectal ultrasound
    • Chorionic vesicle is distinctly spherical (early gestation)
    • Vesicle is palpable from d 18 to 60-70
    • Vesicle is visible via ultrasound beginning ~day 10
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10
Q

Can ultrasound be used for fetal sexing in mares?

A
  • Genital tubercle migrates toward the umbilicus in the male and the anus in the female
  • Fetal sex is determine from day 59-68
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11
Q

How can Pregnancy be detected in canines?

A
  • Abdominal palpation
    • start at the dorsal abdomen and move your hand downward and squeeze thumb and fingers together gently - slip the uterus between the thumb and fingers
    • Day 21-31 (after the start of diestrus) the pregnancy can be palpated as small, firm, round vesicles (about the size of walnuts - 1.5-3.5cm)
    • Accurate counting of fetuses is not possible
    • Determining fetal viability is not possible
    • Palpation may be difficult in large dogs, dogs with tense abdomens, dogs with a lot of mammary development
    • From day 31-50 the vesicles lose their distinct round shape and are not detectable by palpation
    • After day 50 the puppies are palpable
  • Trans-abdominal ultrasound
    • Fetal vesicles are visible by day 18-20 pat the LH peak as distinct, round black (fluid-filled) sacks
    • Fetal heartbeat (first seen day 23-25 after LH peak) & fetal movement (first seen 34-36days after LH peak) are indications of fetal viability
      • HR >20bpm is an indication of fetal stress (late in gestation)
    • Ultrasound s more accurate than palpation
    • Difficult to count fetuses (can differentiate between large and small litter
  • Radiograph
    • fetal skeletons first seen 42 - 52 days after breeding 44-47 days after LH peak (20-21 days prior to parturition)
    • after day 50 fetal skeletons can be counted
  • Relaxin - measure from blood sample
    • Detected by day 20-30 past LH peak
    • Commercial kit is available
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12
Q

How is pregnancy detected in pigs?

A
  • Detection of return to estrus
    • Non-pregnant sows should return to estrus 17-24 days after breeding
    • Sow’s behavior should be evaluated in the presence of a boar
    • False positive results are common (flalsely ID female as bred)
  • A-Mode ultrasound
    • Use US waves to detect fluid-filled uterus
    • Output: audible signal or a series of lights
    • High accuracy 30-75 days
    • Number of false-negative results increases after day 75
  • Doppler ultrasonography
    • Detects movement such as fetal heart and pulsing umbilical/uterine arteries
    • Output is an audible signal
    • High accuracy after 30-34 days
    • Risk of false-positive during proestrus or estrus
  • Real-time ultrasonography
    • Expensive - so not used on small farms
    • Able to detect pregnancy sooner than with A-mode or Doppler US (d 23 vs d 30)
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13
Q

How is pregnancy detected in ovines?

A
  • Real-time US
    • Can detect pregnancy and assess fetal numbers as early as day 25 gestation
  • Pregnancy-specific protein B
    • Can be detected as early as day 20 of gestation
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