ULTRASONOGRAPHIC MONITORING OF EARLY PREGNANCY AND EMBRYONIC MORTALITY IN CATTLE
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Date
2019
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CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya Palampur
Abstract
The study was conducted at Instructional Livestock Farm Complex of CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh. Trans-rectal ultrasonography of the genital tract and the middle uterine arteries was performed in twenty-nine Jersey and Jersey crossbred cows (N=29) using portable ultrasound machine with a linear rectal probe at frequency 7.5 MHz, in brightness (B-mode), color Doppler and spectral modes from day 21 to day 42 post insemination at weekly intervals. Diagnosis of the pregnancy was based on sonographic visualization of a viable embryo within uterine horns. Cows with embryonic mortality were diagnosed on the basis of embryonic debris and remnants. Whereas, cows diagnosed as non-pregnant during ultrasonographic examination were only scanned up to day 28 post-insemination. Spectral Doppler analysis of the middle uterine artery (MUA) for determination of pregnancy and embryonic mortality as performed on Day 21. Parameters such as Pulsatality index (PI), Resistivity index (RI), Vascular Perfusion Index (VPI), Mean blood flow volume (Mean BFV), Maximum blood flow volume (Maximum BFV), Time Average Mean Velocity (TAMEAN), Time Average Maximum Velocity (TAMAX), Cross sectional area of MUA and Systole-Diastole ratio were calculated. In pregnant cows, sexing of the foetus was done on Day 60 of gestation, based on migration of the genital tubercle.
Out of 29 cows taken for the study, 20 were found pregnant and 9 were non-pregnant. Among 20 pregnant cows, 5 were recorded to undergo embryonic mortality subsequently. Ultrasonography was found to be an efficient tool for diagnosis of pregnancy as early as 21 days with Corpus luteum parameters and with visualization of embryo as early as 28 days of gestation. Pregnant cows were diagnosed with sonographic visualization of embryo proper within an anechoic uterine horn. Whereas, cows with embryonic mortality revealed, reduced intra-uterine allantoic fluid, with hyperechoic free-floating structures, representing embryonic debris and remnants and distorted allanto-chorionic membrane within the uterine horn. Spectral Doppler ultrasonography of middle uterine artery was also found to be a suited tool for non-invasive accurate diagnosis of pregnancy, non-pregnancy and embryonic mortality.
The overall incidence of embryonic mortality evident on ultrasonographic examination was 25 per cent, with 15 per cent embryonic mortality between Day 21-28 and 10 per cent between Days 28-35 of gestation. The percentage of male and female foeti were recorded to be 57.14 and 42.86 per cent, respectively at Day 60 of gestation.
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