title: Effects of early pregnancy diagnosis by palpation per rectum on pregnancy loss in dairy cattle.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of palpation per rectum (PPR) by use of 1 or 2 fetal membrane slips (FMSs) for pregnancy diagnosis during early gestation on pregnancy loss in dairy cattle.
  
  
  METHODS
  Controlled, randomized block design.
  
  
  METHODS
  928 healthy pregnant cattle.
  
  
  METHODS
  All cattle were determined to be pregnant by use of transrectal ultrasonography at approximately day 31 after estrus and randomly allocated into 2 groups (control group [n = 476 cows] and palpation group [452]). The control group was not subjected to pregnancy diagnosis via PPR. The palpation group was subdivided into 2 groups (PPR FMS 1 [n = 230 cows] and PPR FMS 2 [222]), which involved PPR and pregnancy diagnosis via 1 or 2 FMSs, respectively, during the same examination, which was performed by 1 veterinarian between days 34 and 43 after estrus. All cattle were reevaluated by use of transrectal ultrasonography on days 45 and 60 to determine viability of the embryo and fetus, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall pregnancy loss between days 31 and 60 was 14.1%. Pregnancy loss for the control, PPR FMS 1, and PPR FMS 2 groups from days 31 to 60 was 14.5%, 12.6%, and 14.9%, respectively. Embryonic pregnancy loss for the control, PPR FMS 1, and PPR FMS 2 groups was 12.4%, 9.1%, and 9.5%, respectively. Fetal pregnancy loss for the same groups was 2.4%, 3.8%, and 5.9%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pregnancy diagnosis via 1 or 2 FMSs performed during PPR in early gestation did not increase pregnancy loss in dairy cattle.
authors: Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA. jromano@cvm.tamu.edu
authors: Juan E
authors: JE
authors: Romano
authors: James A
authors: JA
authors: Thompson
authors: Duane C
authors: DC
authors: Kraemer
authors: Mark E
authors: ME
authors: Westhusin
authors: Michael A
authors: MA
authors: Tomaszweski
authors: David W
authors: DW
authors: Forrest
mesh_terms: D000034:Abortion, Veterinary / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003612:Dairying; D005260:Female; D007774:Lactation; D010173:Palpation / Q000662:veterinary*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011258:Pregnancy Tests / Q000662:veterinary*; D012007:Rectum