title: Evaluation of early conception factor lateral flow test to determine nonpregnancy in dairy cattle.
abstract: The early conception factor (ECF) lateral flow test was evaluated for its ability to accurately determine nonpregnant status in dairy cattle. Results of 2 field trials involving 191 cows and 832 tests indicated the probability that a cow can be correctly diagnosed as nonpregnant by using the ECF test is only about 50%. Agreement of test results between milk and serum obtained from the same cow was 57.5%. The ECF test was not consistent in identifying nonpregnancy when the same cows were tested repeatedly over a period of 4 weeks. We conclude that the ECF lateral flow test does not accurately identify nonpregnancy in dairy cattle.
authors.affiliation: Alberta Agriculture Food, Suite 204, 7000-113 Street, Edmonton, Alberta T6H 5T6. divakar.ambrose@gov.ab.ca
authors.forename: Divakar J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Ambrose
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Radke
authors.forename: Phyllis A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Pitney
authors.forename: Laksiri A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Goonewardene
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D018835:Chaperonin 10; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry; D010455:Peptides / Q000032:analysis*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D011259:Pregnancy Tests, Immunologic / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic / Q000662:veterinary*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013491:Suppressor Factors, Immunologic / Q000032:analysis*