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Ultrasonography and Progesterone Concentration at a Single Time Point for the Detection of Puberty in Dairy Heifers
Author(s) -
Archbold H,
Buckley F,
Pierce KM,
Begley N,
Mee JF
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
reproduction in domestic animals
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.546
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1439-0531
pISSN - 0936-6768
DOI - 10.1111/j.1439-0531.2011.01889.x
Subject(s) - luteal phase , ultrasonography , venipuncture , transvaginal ultrasonography , medicine , corpus luteum , gynecology , zoology , endocrinology , biology , follicular phase , surgery , ovary
Contents Data were available from 1657 heifers across 48 dairy farms which were visited once, on average 9 days (±5.2) prior to the mating start date (23 April, ±12.6). Blood samples were collected via coccygeal venepuncture for progesterone (P4) analysis, and animals were scanned for the presence or absence of corpora lutea (CL), to determine the luteal status. A comparison of luteal status between ultrasound (CL identified) and P4 (≥1 ng/ml), based on a single measurement point, showed poor agreement ( K = 0.32). The majority of animals were classified as luteal (76%) using both ultrasonography and P4. There was excellent agreement between luteal status detected by ultrasonography alone and luteal status assigned by a combination of ultrasonography and P4 ( K = 0.93). The agreement between luteal status assigned by P4 and luteal status assigned by the combination of ultrasonography and P4 was poor ( K = 0.37). These results indicate that at a single examination, ultrasonography is the preferred modality to determine the luteal status of maiden heifers.