Introduction

• The aim of pregnancy diagnosis in cattle is to allow accurate determination of the animal’s pregnancy status. This is undertaken as a herd and individual animal management tool and allows appropriate intervention where required to improve reproductive performance and efficiency.
• The ideal pregnancy test:
  • High sensitivity (correctly identify pregnant animals).
  • High specificity (correctly identify non-pregnant animals).
  • Be inexpensive to perform.
  • Results will be available at the time the test is undertaken.
  • Allow assessment of the viability of the fetus.
  • Allow sex determination of the fetus.
  • Be suitable to undertake under field conditions.

Methodology

Pros and cons of indirect pregnancy diagnosis

Further Reading

Publications

Refereed Papers

• Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
• Crowe M A, Hostens M & Opsomer G (2018) Reproductive management in dairy cows - the future. Ir Vet J 71, 1-13 PubMed.
• Bollwein H & Heppelmann M (2016) Ultrasonographic doppler use for female reproduction management. Vet Clin Food Anim 32 (1),149–164 PubMed.
• Fricke P M, Ricci A, Giordano J O & Carvalho P D (2016) Methods for and implementation of pregnancy diagnosis in dairy cows. Vet Clin Food Anim 32 (1), 165–180 PubMed.
• Buczinski S (2009) Ultrasonographic assessment of late term pregnancy in cattle. Vet Clin Food Anim 25 (3), 753–765 PubMed.
• DesCoteaux L, Gnemmi G & Colloton J (2009) Ultrasonography of the bovine female genital tract. Vet Clin Food Anim 25 (3), 733–752 PubMed.
• Sheldon I M & Noakes D (2002) Pregnancy diagnosis in cattle. In Pract 24, 310-317.
• Sheldon I M (1997) Bovine fertility - practical implications of the maternal recognition of pregnancy. In Pract 19, 546-556.