Therio - Pregnancy Detection

Front 1

General ways of detecting pregnancy

Back 1

-palpation of the reproductive tract (trans-rectal or abdominal)
-imaging of the reproductive tract (radiograph/US)
-measurement of hormone concentrations in blood or other fluids

Front 2

Beef Cattle herds
-controlled breeding season length

Back 2

-60-90 days

Front 3

Goal of pregnancy detection in beef cattle herds

Back 3

-get a lot of cows pregnant and a lot of cows pregnant in the first 20 days of breeding

Front 4

Pregnancy detection in beef herds
-reasons to detect

Back 4

-determine success of proceeding breeding season
-provide diagnostic information
-identify open cows for alternate management

Front 5

Dairy herd
-controlled breeding season length

Back 5

-some dairies are seasonal (60 day breeding season)
but
-most dairies are bred year round

Front 6

Why are most daires bred year round?

Back 6

-for a steady milk supply

Front 7

Pregnancy detection in dairy herds
-reasons to detect in individual cows

Back 7

-determine dry off date
-determine if cow should continue breeding pool
-assess herd breeding program

Front 8

Dairy
-when should the dry-off begin

Back 8

-40-60 days prior to lactation

Front 9

Milk Pregnancy Tests
-types

Back 9

-Milk or blood progesterone assay
-Pregnancy Sepcific Protein B (PSPB)
-Early conception factor (ECF)
-Detection of Estrus
-US
-Uterine palpation per rectum

Front 10

Milk progesterone values correlate with:

Back 10

-blood values

Front 11

Milk or Blood progesterone assay
-why is it important to know the breeding date?

Back 11

Test needs to be completed at a specific time after the breeding date (21-24 days post breeding)
-if progesterone is low----> not pregnant
-if progesterone is high -----> either pregnant or in diestrus

*can't do test randomly in the herd

Front 12

Pregnancy Specific Protein B
-produced by

Back 12

-conceptus

Front 13

PSPB
-benefit

Back 13

-can be detected by 25 days of gestation

Front 14

PSPB
-disadvantage

Back 14

0remains in blood for up to 3 months after parturition, overlapping with rebreeding

Front 15

PSPB
-interpretation of a positive test on a cow with a calf-at-side 35 days after the start of the breeding season
-interpretation of a positive test on a heifer 35 days after the start of the breeding season

Back 15

-cow with calf-at-side: don't know if she's pregnant

-heifer: should be pregnant

Front 16

Early Conception Factor
-produced by

Back 16

-embryo

Front 17

Early Conception factor
-present in

Back 17

-serum
-milk
-whole blood
-urine

Front 18

Early Conception Factor
-can be detected as early as

Back 18

-6 days of gestation

Front 19

Early conception factor
-disadvantage

Back 19

-unacceptable accuracy for use

*SHOULDN'T USE

Front 20

Detection of estrus
-why not just detect estrus and assume that cows not detected in estrus are pregnant?

Back 20

It gets inaccurate because we get bust
-they are only in heat for a short time, and if we that period, we may think they are pregnant

Front 21

Ultrasound
-accurate as early as

Back 21

-28 days

Front 22

Ultrasound
-can determine sex of fetus when

Back 22

-55-65 days up to 75 days

-difficult past 90 days as the fetus gets too large

Front 23

Ultrasound
-time of fetal heartbeat detection

Back 23

-21 days

Front 24

Uterine palpation per rectum
-accurate by:

Back 24

-35 days gestation

Front 25

Uterine palpation per rectum
-advantages

Back 25

-accurate estimate of age of gestation
-low-cost

Front 26

Uterine palpation per rectum
-disadvantages

Back 26

-repetitive strain injury
-less information than ultrasound (ovarian structures, fetal sex, fetal viability)

Front 27

Uterine palpation per rectum
-rectal wall tear in bovine vs. equine

Back 27

Bovine
-not a big deal
-pretty thick, cow should be fine

Equine
-uh oh!

Front 28

Uterine palpation per rectum
-landmarks

Back 28

-pelvis - bony
-cervix - hard (cartilaginous)

Front 29

Uterine palpation per rectum
-ovary location

Back 29

-lateral to or tucked under the uterus

Front 30

Uterine palpation per rectum
-uterine tube palpation

Back 30

-shouldn't be bale to palpate
-if felt, probably inflamed

Front 31

Uterine palpation
-reason to do a post-breeding season reproductive exam

Back 31

-estimate the age of the fetus
&
-use that information to evaluate the breeding program and diagnose problems

Front 32

If you're comfortable determining fetal age via palpation from 35-100 days of gestation and you have a herd with a desired 60 day calving season, when can you palpate the herd after the start of the breeding season

Back 32

-95-100 days

Front 33

Uterine fluid volume
-day of gestation: 40, 60, 90, 120

Back 33

-40 days: 75 mL
-60 days: 300 mL
-90 days: 1000 mL
-120 days: 3000 mL

Front 34

35 days
-uterine characteristics

Back 34

-slight accumulation of fluid
-able to "slip" fetal membranes
-placenta starts to occupy non-pregnant horn

Front 35

40 days
=uterine characteritics

Back 35

-slightly more fluid
-uterine wall is thinning
-size disparity between pregnant and non-pregnant horn

Front 36

60 days
-uterine characteristics

Back 36

-pregnant uterine horn is about the size of a banana
-still able to hold the entire uterine tract in your hand

Front 37

90 Days
-uterus characteristics

Back 37

-can barely still reach around the entire uterus (about the last time you can retract the uterus)
-routinely bump the calf
-begin to feel small placentomes

Front 38

120 days
-uterine characteristics

Back 38

-can't reach around entire tract
-prominent placentomes (nickled sized, but larger or smaller depending on relation to uterus)
-fremitus in mid-uterine artery on the pregnant side

Front 39

150 days
-uterine characteristics

Back 39

-placentomes about the size of a quarter

Front 40

6.5 months
-uterine characteristics

Back 40

-mid-uterine artery on pregnant side has grown to the size of your little finger
-mid-uterine artery on the non-pregnant side is beginning to fremitus

Front 41

Reasons uterine tract may not be felt

Back 41

-6-8 months pregnant
-adhesion holding tract to the abdominal floor
-infection or malignancy that makes the uterus heavy

Front 42

Structures possibly confused with pregnancy

Back 42

-bladder
-back of rumen
-left kidney
-gas bubble in intestine
-pyometra
-lymphoma
-uterine involution (post calving)

Front 43

Urinary bladder
-reason why confused

Back 43

-thin walled and fluid filled

but will usually be emptied by the animal when being worked, so won't feel

Front 44

Back of rumen
-reason why confused

Back 44

-thick and doughy kind of like a large fetus

but won't lead to cervix

Front 45

Left kidney
-reason why confused

Back 45

-can feel like fetal head

Front 46

Gas bubble in intestine
-reason why confused

Back 46

-feels like a vesicle

but bubble should be gone if re-examined in 5 mins

Front 47

Pyometra
-reason why confused

Back 47

-large fluid-filled uterus

but, thick walled with a doughy consistency

Front 48

Lymphoma
-reason why confused

Back 48

-large open feeling uterine tract

but wall will thicken and other masses can be found

Front 49

Uterine involution
-reason why confused

Back 49

-feels a lot like a pregnant cow

but, walls are thickened

Front 50

Ultrasound
-equipment

Back 50

-linear array, real time B-mode scanner

Front 51

Ultrasound
-disadvantages

Back 51

-just a snap-shot
-can't determine if structures are getting bigger or smaller

Front 52

Label the structures

Back 52

-left = CL
=right = follicle

Front 53

Ultrasound
-uses

Back 53

Pregnancy diagnosis
-earlier preg diagnosis (@ 25 days)
-assess fetal viability
-determine sex

Embryo transfer
-Identify recipients with CL
-follow follicular dynamics of donor cow

Early non-pregnancy determination coupled with resynchronization protocol for dairies
-couple with timed insemination for optimized labor use
-reduce days open

Front 54

Ultrasound
-disadvantage

Back 54

-slower than palpation
-does not increase accuracy of preg detection past 45 days
-early pregnancy diagnosis may reveal higher risk of pregnancy loss than pregnancy diagnosis past 56 days

Front 55

Approximately how far into pregnancy is this animal

Back 55

-35 days

Front 56

Approximately how far into pregnancy is this animal

Back 56

90 days

Front 57

US
-sex determination

Back 57

genital tubercle is in a different position by 55 days gestation
-caudal to umbilicus in male
-ventral to tail in female

Front 58

US
-when does it get difficult to determine sex

Back 58

-past 70 days

Front 59

Integrated reproductive program
-purpose

Back 59

Use US for synchronization/resynchronization strategy
-allows manager, employees, and vet to focus on reproduction 2 days per week
-ultrasounds (w/ injections) on Tuesdays
-breeding on Thursdays

Front 60

Integrated reproduction program
-time between AI service for cows still open

Back 60

-35 days

Front 61

Integrated reproductive program
-flaws

Back 61

-not the best synchronization protocol
-need to be good at ultrasound

Front 62

Given that bovine are essentially non-seasonal breeders, which of the following of you think is the current recommended breeding season length for beef cattle?

Back 62

-60-80 days

Front 63

Which of the following methods of pregnancy diagnosis do you think will provide the most information?

Back 63

-Uterine palpation per rectum
-trans-rectal US

Front 64

Equine Pregnancy Detection
-methods

Back 64

-eCG
-Estrogens
-Estrone sulfate
-Early pregnancy factor (EPF)
-Cervical tone and appearance
-uterine palpation per rectum and trans-rectal ultrasound
-Ultrasound for fetal sexing

Front 65

Equine Chorionic Gonadotropin
-produced by
-when

Back 65

-fetal chorionic tissue that invades endometrium and forms endometrial cups ---> secrete eCG
-36-38 days

Front 66

eCG
-function

Back 66

-luteinize the normal follicular waves that are occuring and results in the formation of secondary CLs
-inc. progesterone levels

Front 67

eCG
-time of peak

Back 67

-60-80 days (2-3 months)

Front 68

eCG
-best for use in

Back 68

-mini horses (difficult to palpate)

Front 69

eCG
-problem

Back 69

-remains elevated if pregnancy is lost

Front 70

Estrogens
-test used

Back 70

-Cuboni test
-fluorescence of urine due to estrogen

Front 71

Estrogens
-detect pregnancy when

Back 71

-accurate by 100-150 days gestation

*easy to palpate pregnancy per rectum at this time

Front 72

Estrogen sulfate
-present where

Back 72

-serum
-urine
-feces

Front 73

Estrogen sulfate
-benefit

Back 73

-good for assessing wild equine reproduction
-associated with fetal viability after day 44

Front 74

Early pregnancy factor
-what is it

Back 74

-immunosuppressive protein secreted by early embryo

Front 75

Early pregnancy factor
-when to detect

Back 75

-24-72 hrs after mating
-elevated through 2nd trimester

Front 76

Early pregnancy factor
-problem

Back 76

-poor accuracy

Front 77

Equine cervical tone and appearance
-function

Back 77

-high levels of progesterone cause the cervix and uterus to have exaggerated tone

Front 78

Equine
-progesterone peak

Back 78

-80-90 days

Front 79

Equine cervical tone appearance

Back 79

-cervix is elongated and firm
-uterus has increased tone

Front 80

Equine cervical tone
-when noticed

Back 80

-day 16 to end

Front 81

Equine cervical tone
-problem

Back 81

-looks like diestrus

Front 82

Uterine palpation per rectum (equine)
-when palpable

Back 82

-days 18-day 60/70

Front 83

Trans-Rectal US (equine)
-when detectable

Back 83

-day 10

Front 84

Equine day 10-18 gestation
-characteristics palpable per rectum
-characteristics via trans rectal ultrasound

Back 84

Palpation
-not palpable

US
-spherical fluid-filled vesicle

Front 85

Equine day 28 gestation
-characteristics palpable per rectum
-characteristics via trans rectal ultrasound

Back 85

Palpation
-size of small egg

US
-embryo visible in middle of vesicle

Front 86

Equine day 35 gestation
-characteristics palpable per rectum
-characteristics via trans rectal ultrasound

Back 86

Palpation
-size of lemon

US
-embryo near the top of the vesicle and the yolk sac is nearly gone

Front 87

Equine day 42 gestation
-characteristics palpable per rectum
-characteristics via trans rectal ultrasound

Back 87

Palpation
-size of orange

US
-embryo visible in middle of vesicle and umbilicus is visible

Front 88

Equine day 49 gestation
-characteristics palpable per rectum

Back 88

-size of grapefruit

Front 89

Equine day 56 gestation
-characteristics palpable per rectum

Back 89

-size of cantaloupe

Front 90

Equine day 90 gestation
-characteristics palpable per rectum

Back 90

-cranial margin out-of-reach

Front 91

US for fetal sexing (equine)
-when

Back 91

-day 59-68

*earlier can't visualize genital tubercle
*later can't position probe

Front 92

Canine pregnancy detection
-methods

Back 92

-abdominal palpation
-transabdominal US
-radiograph
-relaxin

Front 93

Canine abdominal palpation
-how

Back 93

-start at dorsal abdomen and move down
-feel uterus slip between thumb and fingers

Front 94

Canine palpation
-when to palpate

Back 94

-day 21-31: small, firm, round vesicles (walnuts)
-day 31-50: vesicles not detectable
-day 51-end: puppies palpable (2 wks from whelping)

Front 95

Canine abdominal palpation
-drawbacks

Back 95

-accurate fetus counting not possible
-can't determine fetal viability
-difficult in large dogs, dogs that tense their abdomen, dogs with mammary gland development

Front 96

Canine trans-abdominal US
-when useful

Back 96

-day 18-20 after LH peak: fetal vesicles visible (round, black sacs)
-day 23-25 after LH peak: fetal heartbeat
-day 34-36 after LH peak: fetal movement

Front 97

Canine trans-abdominal US
-drawback

Back 97

-difficult to count fetuses

Front 98

Fetal stress
-heart rate

Back 98

> 200 bpm

Front 99

Canine Radiographs
-when useful

Back 99

-days 42-52 (after breeding) 44-47 (after LH peak): fetal skeletons first seen
-day 50-end: can count skeletons

Front 100

Relaxin (canine)
-sample needed to measure

Back 100

-blood

Front 101

Relaxin
-detected when

Back 101

-day 20-30 after LH peak

*still present after birth, but not big deal because we're not breeding again right away

Front 102

Relaxin (canine)
-benefit

Back 102

-commercial kit
-allows differentiation between pregnancy and pseudopregnancy because relaxin is only formed by the placenta

Front 103

Porcine Pregnancy Detection
-methods

Back 103

-detection of return to estrus
-A-mode ultrasound
-doppler ultrasound
-real-time ultrasound

Front 104

Non-pregnant sow should return to estrus how long after breeding

Back 104

-17-24 days

Front 105

Detection of return to estrus (sow)
-how

Back 105

-detect behavior in presence of boar

Front 106

Detection of return to estrus (sow)
-problem

Back 106

-false positives are common
-if mounting is missed, we assume pregnant

Front 107

A-mode ultrasound
-how it works

Back 107

-use US waves to detect a fluid filled uterus
-either uses sound or lights

Front 108

A-mode ultrasound
-time of highest accuracy

Back 108

-35-75 days

Front 109

A-mode ultrasound (sow)
-problems

Back 109

-number of false negatives increases after day 75 due to a decreased percentage of fluid present (can't differentiate between animal and fetus)
-bladder is a fluid filled sac ---> false positives

Front 110

Doppler ultrasound (sow)
-when to use

Back 110

-30-34 days

Front 111

Doppler US (sow)
-function

Back 111

-detects fetal heart
-pulsing umbilical/uterine arteries

Front 112

Doppler US (sow)
-drawbacks

Back 112

-risk of false positives during proestrus or diestrus due to some fluid being present in a muscular uterus

Front 113

Real-time ultrasound (sow)
-advantages

Back 113

-not owned on many small farms (need you)
-can detect pregnancy sooner than A-mode US or doppler (23 days)

Front 114

Real-time ultrasound (sow)
-disadvantages

Back 114

-able to detect pregnancy sooner
-better reproductive performance of a farm, the less advantage to using US

Front 115

Ovine and Caprine pregnancy detection
-methods

Back 115

-Real-time ultrasound
-pregnancy-specific protein B

Front 116

Real-Time US (caprine, ovine)
-advantages

Back 116

-detect pregnancy
-assess fetal numbers

Front 117

Real-time US (ovine, caprine)
-when to start using

Back 117

-as early as 25 days

Front 118

Pregnancy-specific protein B (ovine, caprine)
-when to start detecting

Back 118

-as early as 20 days