Vol. 44, No. 4, 2000 previous next

ACCURACY OF THE DIAGNOSES OF EARLY PREGNANCY AND LATE EMBRYONIC MORTALITY IN THE COW: A REVIEW

Szenci, O. 1, Beckers, J. F. 2, Varga, J. 1, Bajcsy, Á. Cs. 1

1 Department of Obstetrics and Reproduction
Faculty of Veterinary Science
Szent István University
H-1400 Budapest, P. O. Box 2
Hungary		 2 Physiology of Animal Reproduction
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
University of Liege. B41
Sart Tilman
B-4000 Liege
Belgium
This paper was originally presented at the 2nd Middle-European Congress for Buiatrics held in Stará Lesná, The High Tatras, from the 10th to 13th May 2000

Summary

The bovine uterus is coiled and tortuous, and in 73% of cases, the shape of the apparent embryonic vesicle in the early stage of pregnancy (10-20 days) is round, while in the remainder (27%) it is oblong. Thus, particularly under field conditions, acceptable ultrasonographic results (5 to 7.5 MHz transducer) could only be achieved from 26 to 27 days after AI. Bovine PSPB (Pregnancy-specific protein B) and/or PAG1 (Pregnancy associated glycoprotein 1) assay can be used as an alternative method to ultrasonography for determining pregnancy from Days 33 to 34 after AI. However, the presence of PSPB or PAG1 in the plasma of cows during the early stages of the post-partum period can limit the use of these protein tests under field conditions. A further limitation on the accuracy of pregnancy diagnosis is that after late embryonic mortality protein levels remain above the threshold levels, although the concentration of both proteins decreases steadily. It can be concluded from the available studies that protein production by the binucleate cells was not disturbed at the time that late embryonic mortality (LEM) had occurred and luteal regression was obviously not the cause of stillbirths.

Key words: dairy cows; pregnancy; embryonal mortality; diagnosis

References

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Folia Veterinaria / 2000