The Role of Ewes’ Udder Health on Echotexture and Blood Flow Changes during the Dry and Lactation Periods

Ntemka, Aikaterini; Tsakmakidis, Ιoannis; Boscos, C.; Theodoridis, Alexandros; Kiossis, Evangelos

doi:10.3390/ani12172230

Cited by 3 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 36 publications

(56 reference statements)

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“…Ultrasonography has been proposed as a diagnostic technique for the diagnosis of subclinical mastitis in sheep [ 116 ] and as a tool indicating the proper time to start treatment [ 117 ] and also monitoring the progress of mastitis in cows [ 118 ]. After the ultrasonographic examination, microbiological examination and California mastitis test (CMT) of milk samples are employed to confirm the disease [ 119 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modern Imaging Techniques in the Study and Disease Diagnosis of the Mammary Glands of Animals

Barbagianni

Gouletsou

2023

Veterinary Sciences

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The study of the structure and function of the animals’ mammary glands is of key importance, as it reveals pathological processes at their onset, thus contributing to their immediate treatment. The most frequently studied mammary diseases are mastitis in cows and ewes and mammary tumours in dogs and cats. Various imaging techniques such as computed tomography, positron emission tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasonographic techniques (Doppler, contrast-enchanced, three-dimensional and elastography) are available and can be applied in research or clinical practice in order to evaluate possible abnormalities in mammary glands, as well as to assist in the differential diagnosis. In this review, the above imaging technologies are described, and the perspectives of each method are highlighted. It is inferred that ultrasonographic modalities are the most frequently used imaging techniques for the diagnosis of clinical or subclinical mastitis and treatment guidance on a farm. In companion animals, a combination of imaging techniques should be applied for a more accurate diagnosis of mammary tumours. In any case, the confirmation of the diagnosis is provided by laboratory techniques.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modern Imaging Techniques in the Study and Disease Diagnosis of the Mammary Glands of Animals

Barbagianni

Gouletsou

2023

Veterinary Sciences

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“…Each pixel had one of the possible shades of grey (0 to 255). Echotexture analysis procedure presented in Figure 2 was performed with EchoVet v.2.0 software (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece) [13]. Each image was divided into four imaginary quarters [33].…”

Section: Ultrasonography and Echotexture Analysis Of The Mammary Pare...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In buffaloes, first-order echotexture features were significantly correlated with milk somatic cell count (SCC) [12]. Furthermore, second-and higher-order echotexture features have been used in udder echotexture analysis [13]. These features take into account the position of a pixel, as well as its spatial relationship with its neighboring pixels, and reveal the spatial organization of the image echotexture [14][15][16].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Udder Ultrasonography of Dairy Cows: Investigating the Relationship Between Echotexture, Blood Flow, Somatic Cell Count and Milk Yield During Dry Period and Lactation

Themistokleous¹,

Papadopoulos²,

Panousis³

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Udder health of dairy cows is related to their productivity and welfare. The period from dry-off to calving and early lactation is crucial. Ultrasonography is a useful and practical tool for the examination of the mammary parenchyma and blood flow. This observational study investigated the relationship between udder echotexture features, blood flow volume (BFVol) in the milk vein, milk somatic cell count (SCC) and daily milk yield (DMY) from late lactation, throughout dry period and consecutive early lactation. Seventeen repeated measurements were performed on 21 Holstein cows. The udder parenchyma was examined with B-mode ultrasonography. Udder echotexture was studied using 15 features: Numerical Pixel Value (NPV), Pixel Standard Deviation (PSD), Skewness, Excess, Contrast, Homogeneity, Correlation, Entropy, Run Percentage, Long Run Emphasis, Grey Value Distribution, Runlength Distribution, Gradient Mean Value, Gradient Variance and Percentage of Non-zero Gradients. Blood flow in the milk vein was examined with spectral Doppler. Linear mixed effects models were employed to investigate relationships between BFVol, udder echotexture features, SCC and DMY, throughout the study period. Our models showed that a 1-kg increase in DMY was associated with a significant increase of 0.25 L/min in the expected BFVol, and that a 1,000,000-cells/mL increase in SCC was associated with a significant BFVol decrease of 0.49 L/min, keeping all other variables constant. Multivariable models showed significant associations between DMY and NPV, PSD and Long Run Emphasis, and between SCC and NPV, PSD, Gradient Mean Value, Homogeneity, Gradient Variance and Entropy. In conclusion, udder echotexture and BFVol in the milk vein are related to SCC and milk yield. Ultrasonography can be used for the comprehensive assessment of udder health in the direction of precision dairy farming.

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Udder Ultrasonography of Dairy Cows: Investigating the Relationship between Echotexture, Blood Flow, Somatic Cell Count and Milk Yield during Dry Period and Lactation

Themistokleous

Papadopoulos

Panousis

et al. 2023

Animals

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Udder health of dairy cows is related to their productivity and welfare. The period from dry-off to calving and early lactation is crucial. Ultrasonography is a useful and practical tool for the examination of the mammary parenchyma and blood flow. This observational study investigated the relationship between udder echotexture features, blood flow volume (BFVol) in the milk vein, milk somatic cell count (SCC) and daily milk yield (DMY) from late lactation, throughout the dry period and consecutive early lactation. Seventeen repeated measurements were performed on twenty-one Holstein cows. The udder parenchyma was examined with B-mode ultrasonography. Udder echotexture was studied using 15 features: Numerical Pixel Value (NPV), Pixel Standard Deviation (PSD), Skewness, Excess, Contrast, Homogeneity, Correlation, Entropy, Run Percentage, Long-Run Emphasis, Grey Value Distribution, Runlength Distribution, Gradient Mean Value, Gradient Variance and Percentage of Non-zero Gradients. Blood flow in the milk vein was examined with spectral Doppler. Linear mixed-effects models were employed to investigate relationships between BFVol, udder echotexture features, SCC and DMY throughout the study period. Our models showed that a 1 kg increase in DMY was associated with a significant increase of 0.25 L/min in the expected BFVol and that a 1,000,000-cells/mL increase in SCC was associated with a significant BFVol decrease of 0.49 L/min, keeping all other variables constant. Multivariable models showed significant associations between DMY and NPV, between PSD and Long-Run Emphasis, and between SCC and NPV, PSD, Gradient Mean Value, Homogeneity, Gradient Variance and Entropy. In conclusion, udder echotexture and BFVol in the milk vein are related to SCC and milk yield. Ultrasonography can be used for the comprehensive assessment of udder health in support of precision dairy farming.

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The Role of Ewes’ Udder Health on Echotexture and Blood Flow Changes during the Dry and Lactation Periods

Cited by 3 publications

References 36 publications

Modern Imaging Techniques in the Study and Disease Diagnosis of the Mammary Glands of Animals

Modern Imaging Techniques in the Study and Disease Diagnosis of the Mammary Glands of Animals

Udder Ultrasonography of Dairy Cows: Investigating the Relationship Between Echotexture, Blood Flow, Somatic Cell Count and Milk Yield During Dry Period and Lactation

Udder Ultrasonography of Dairy Cows: Investigating the Relationship between Echotexture, Blood Flow, Somatic Cell Count and Milk Yield during Dry Period and Lactation

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