A comparison of diagnosis of pregnancy in the goat via transrectal ultrasound scanning, progesterone, and pregnancy-associated glycoprotein assays.
Real-time ultrasound scanning (US) via the transrectal route, progesterone (P4) assay, and pregnancy-associated glycoprotein (PAG) detection can be used to diagnose pregnancy at around 3 weeks after breeding. Although several studies have been carried out to evaluate each of these different methods individually, it is difficult to establish adequate comparisons due to differences, such as the breed of goat, age, and farming conditions, among others. The aim of the present paper is to compare the accuracy of diagnosis of pregnancy using transrectal US, P4 assay and PAG detection at the same time and on the same animals. Canary dairy goats (n=143) were synchronized with an 11-day fluorogestone acetate (FGA) intravaginal sponge followed by PGF2alpha and eCG 2 days before the FGA withdrawal. Blood samples were collected on Days 20, 22, 24, and 26 after mating to determine P4 and PAG concentrations. Transrectal US examinations were performed at the same time. There were 79 pregnant goats and another 64 non-pregnant. The US via the transrectal method and the determination of PAG concentrations provide very accurate pregnancy diagnosis at 24-26 days after breeding; on the contrary, P4 assay on plasma samples performed on Day 22 after breeding was accurate, in this case, in detecting pregnant animals but did not always detect the non-pregnant does.
Reproduction and Obstetrics, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35416 Arucas, Las Palmas, Spain. fgonzalez@dpat.ulpgc.es
Fernando
F
González
Fernando
F
Cabrera
Miguel
M
Batista
Noemí
N
Rodríguez
Desiré
D
Alamo
Jose
J
Sulon
Jean-François
JF
Beckers
Anselmo
A
Gracia
D000818:Animals; D001947:Breeding; D004973:Estrus Synchronization; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D006041:Goats; D011247:Pregnancy; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D011258:Pregnancy Tests / Q000662:veterinary*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood*; D012007:Rectum; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*
D006023:Glycoproteins; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; D011374:Progesterone