Determination of the gestational age through ultrasound measurements of some uterine and foetal parameters in Bulgarian local goats

Abstract

The aim of the current study was to determine the gestational age in goats through the measurement of some foetal and uterine structures. Twenty-four pregnant Bulgarian local goats were submitted to ultrasound foetometry by transrectal and transabdominal approaches. Ultrasound measurement of studied parameters was done at 7-day intervals during the first trimester of gestation (days 21-49) and at 14-day intervals between gestation days 49 and 133. Associations of foetometry data with foetal age were investigated by linear (y = a + bx), quadratic (y = ax + bx + c) and exponential (y = ax ) equations. According to the results, some biometric parameters (uterine lumen diameter, crown-rump length, trunk diameter, biparietal diameter, foetal aortic diameter) exhibited a stronger correlation to gestational age (R ≥ 0.90) and lower standard error of the estimate (SEE ≤ 8) as compared to foetal eye orbit diameter, and outer and inner placentome diameters (R ≤ 0.90; SEE ≥ 8). Each of these biometric parameters could be measured in different periods of gestation, thus allowing for monitoring and determination of foetal age at almost all stages of pregnancy.

Migration distance and maternal resource allocation determine timing of birth in a large herbivore

“…S2). In March, we collected additional data on pregnancy, fetal number, and stage of fetal development via ultrasonography (Karadaev et al 2018; Appendix ; Fig. 1a).…”

“…1a). We used fetal eye diameter as a proxy for stage of fetal development (Karadaev et al 2018) and to examine plasticity in birth date given stage of fetal development. If a deer was pregnant (94.7% of all captured females), they were fit with a vaginal implant transmitter (VIT).…”

“…Next, we investigated if being born early or late influenced birth mass. We predicted that early‐born individuals would be smaller than late‐born individuals, because they had less time to grow and develop (Berger 1992, Karadaev et al 2018). We also investigated if proxies of capital and income resource allocation could explain plasticity in birth date.…”

Doppler ultrasound measurements of the blood flow velocity in the fetal heart and aorta in Bulgarian White milk goats

“…aorta, Doppler, fetal heart, goats, ultrasonography determination of gestational age and estimation of fetal number and sex (Abdelghafar et al, 2011(Abdelghafar et al, , 2012Amer, 2010;Erdogan, 2011;Karadaev et al, 2019;Karadaev et al, 2018;Karen et al, 2014;Lee et al, 2005;Nwaogu et al, 2010;Suguna et al, 2008).…”

“…In goats, B‐mode ultrasonography is mainly used for diagnosis of early pregnancy, monitoring of embryo‐fetal development, determination of gestational age and estimation of fetal number and sex (Abdelghafar et al., 2011, 2012; Amer, 2010; Erdogan, 2011; Karadaev et al., 2019; Karadaev et al., 2018; Karen et al., 2014; Lee et al., 2005; Nwaogu et al., 2010; Suguna et al., 2008).…”