title: [Ultrasonographic examinations of fetal growth of sheep between day 20 and day 50 of gestation].
abstract: Previous studies on embryonic and fetal growth in sheep were mostly transversal using animals killed at various stages of gestation. Until now it was difficult to monitor the development of individual embryos/foetuses during pregnancy, especially during the first and second pregnancy month. Real-time ultrasound as a non invasive method could be an appropriate method for examination of embryonic and early foetal development in sheep. The aim of this study was to determine the embryonic and foetal development of the crown-rump-length (CRL) in pregnant ewes in relation to the number of fetuses and/or the breed. Between the 20th and 50th day of pregnancy the embryos/foetuses showed an exponential growth which can be best described by the equation of the form CRL (mm) = W * exp (k * day of pregnancy). The individual variability in embryofetal growth is in part due to the number of embryos per sheep and the sheep breed.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Tierzucht und Tierhaltung mit Tierklinik, Landwirtschaftliche Fakultät der Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg.
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kaulfuss
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Uhlich
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Gille
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus; D005865:Gestational Age; D011247:Pregnancy; D012756:Sheep / Q000196:embryology*; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000662:veterinary*
vernacular_title: Ultrasonographische Messungen zum fetalen Wachstum des Schafes zwischen dem 20. und 50. Trächtigkeitstag.