title: Accuracy of pregnancy diagnosis in swine by ultrasonography.
abstract: Early and accurate diagnosis of nonpregnant sows and gilts has the potential to increase reproductive efficiency and the financial income in pig production by reducing non-productive days per sow per year. The objectives of this study were to compare the efficiency of pregnancy diagnosis between Doppler Echo+ and real time ultrasonography (RTU) and to compare the efficiency by using RTU at different days post-mating (days 17 to 24) under commercial conditions. In the 1st study, using crossbreed sows and gilts (n=107), pregnancy diagnoses were done with Doppler Echo+ and then with RTU. Between 28 and 65 days of gestation, Doppler Echo+ had 85% sensitivity and 32% specificity, and efficiency was 73%. In the 2nd study, sows (n=142) were scanned for pregnancy diagnosis between 17 and 24 d post-mating (PD1) and reconfirmed between 38 and 45 days of gestation (PD2). After 21 days of gestation, RTU had over 90% sensitivity and 45% specificity, and 70% efficiency. Accuracy between PD1-farrowing was 75.5% and between PD1 and PD2 was 80.6%. In the 3rd study, sows were diagnosed pregnant by RTU (n=151) at 17 to 24 days of gestation or A-mode ultrasound (n=172) at 28 to 30 days of gestation. There were no significant differences in conception rate (P > 0.09) and farrowing rate (P > 0.67) between both groups. Hence, there was no improvement in fertility and farrowing rate by using RTU instead of A-mode ultrasound under commercial conditions.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Teriogenología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Calle 60 y 118, B1900AVW, La Plata, Argentina. swilliams@fcv.unip.edu.ar
authors.forename: Sara I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Piñeyro
authors.forename: R Luzbel
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: de la Sota
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011258:Pregnancy Tests / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards / Q000662:veterinary*; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013552:Swine / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards / Q000662:veterinary*