Electronic probe measurements of cervico-vaginal mucus for detection of ovulation in dairy cows: sanitation, clinical observations and microflora.
An electronic vaginal probe with a sanitizing carrier unit has been designed to measure changes in the electrical resistance of cervico-vaginal mucus in the cow. Over 400 cows and heifers have been probed during the period prior to breeding. When 33 heifers and cows were probed 2-3X per day for 30 days, mild irritation of the vaginal mucosa developed during the luteal phase. In all other studies no grossly detectable lesions or other complications resulting from probing were observed either in experimental herds or in farmer herds where breeding tests were conducted. Fertility of probed cows was equal to cows inseminated when estrus was detected visually. Weekly culture of microorganisms from cervico-vaginal mucus collected from three cows probed 3X per week for 22 days resulted in no detectable change in the population of microorganisms. The number of isolates each successive week was 11, 8, 8 and 5, respectively. The sanitary procedures followed appeared to prevent introduction of organisms of any consequence, as judged by the decreasing number of isolates during the probing sequence.
D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001947:Breeding / Q000379:methods*; D002417:Cattle / Q000502:physiology*; D002582:Cervix Mucus / Q000382:microbiology / Q000502:physiology*; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D004972:Estrus Detection / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D010061:Ovulation Detection / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*