title: Transabdominal and transrectal ultrasonography of fetuses in Württemberg ewes: Correlation with gestational age.
abstract: It is useful to determine the gestational age in sheep to provide essential information for effective flock management practices. The aims of this study were to evaluate the efficacy and practical aspects for using two ultrasound techniques, transabdominal and transrectal, in determining the gestational age in Württemberg ewes. Monitoring of embryo and fetus developmental stages during the ewes' gestation was carried out with real time ultrasound using a transabdominal convex probe, frequency 3.5 MHz, and a transrectal linear probe, frequency 7.5 MHz. The size of the embryonic vesicle during the period from the 23rd to the 38th day of gestation can be used as a confirmational indicator of gestational age when the transrectal probe is used. The occipital nasal diameter correlated with the gestational age with both transabdominal (P < 0.05) and transrectal probes (P < 0.01) from the 46th to the 63rd day of gestation. The biparietal diameter of the fetal head measured by transabdominal probe during the period from the 46th to the 63rd day of gestation correlates with gestation age (P < 0.05). The diameter of the fetal eye orbit monitored by transrectal probe from the 46th to the 63rd day of gestation also correlated well with gestational age (P < 0.05).
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Botany, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Branko T
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3112-4589
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Petrujkić
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Aleksandar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cojkić
authors.affiliation: Clinical Center of Serbia, Centre for Radiology and Magnetic Resonance, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Katarina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Petrujkić
authors.affiliation: PKB Corporation - Belgrade, Padinska Skela, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jeremić
authors.affiliation: Clinical Center of Serbia, Centre for Radiology and Magnetic Resonance, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Dragan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mašulović
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Husbandry and Genetics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Belgrade University, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dimitrijević
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Husbandry and Genetics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Belgrade University, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Mila
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Savić
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Specialist's Institute Niš, Niš, Serbia.
authors.forename: Miodrag
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pešić
authors.affiliation: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center, Food and Feed Safety Research Unit, College Station, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Ross C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Beier
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development; D005333:Fetus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006257:Head / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000196:embryology; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000662:veterinary*; D009666:Nose / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000196:embryology; D009915:Orbit / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000196:embryology; D012756:Sheep / Q000196:embryology*; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000379:methods* / Q000662:veterinary*
keywords: ewe; fetus; gestation age; ultrasound