Using Doppler ultrasonography on day 34 of pregnancy to predict pregnancy loss in lactating dairy cattle

Abstract

The objective of this experiment was to determine whether uterine or ovarian vascular dynamics could be used to identify cows at risk for pregnancy loss. Our hypothesis was that cows that subsequently lose their pregnancy will have decreased corpus luteal (CL) perfusion, or an increased resistance index (RI; reduced blood flow), or both, at d 34 of pregnancy. Day 34 was chosen because it is a common time for dairy cattle to be checked for pregnancy. This experiment was performed in 2 replicates from November 2011 to April 2012 (n = 69) and from November 2012 to April 2013 (n = 53). Cows were bred via timed artificial insemination using Ovsynch-56 and checked for pregnancy on d 32 after artificial insemination. At d 34, cows confirmed pregnant were examined via transrectal Doppler ultrasonography. Blood samples collected via coccygeal vein were used to measure circulating plasma progesterone concentrations. Diameter of the corpus luteum and crown-rump length were measured. Color power Doppler ultrasonography was used to determine vascular perfusion to the CL, and RI was measured for the uterine arteries just after branching from the umbilical artery. Records were later examined to identify pregnancy status of cows after reconfirmation. Abortion rate did not differ between replicates (11.6% in replicate 1, 9.4% in replicate 2). Mean crown-rump length of embryos that were carried to term was greater on d 34 than that in cows that aborted (14.23 ± 0.27 vs. 13.21 ± 0.53 mm). Circulating progesterone concentration at d 34 was greater for cows that carried pregnancies to term than for those that aborted (9.1 ± 0.7 vs. 7.5 ± 1.0 ng/mL). The final logistic regression model consisted of crown-rump length, progesterone concentration, and RI of the uterine artery contralateral to pregnancy. Decreased crown-rump length and progesterone concentration tended to be associated with increased odds ratio for pregnancy loss, whereas CL perfusion and uterine blood flow were not associated with increased odds ratio of pregnancy loss. In conclusion, examining CL perfusion and RI of the uterine arteries on d 34 of pregnancy does not offer a method to identify lactating Dairy cattle at risk for pregnancy loss after d 34.

Ovarian and uterine arteries blood flow waveform response in the first two cycles following superstimulation in cows

“…The ovarian artery blood flow was studied only in women during the menstrual cycles (Guedes‐Martins et al, 2015). The uterine artery was studied during the oestrous cycle in lactating Bos indicus cows (Hassan, Sattar, Bilal, Avais, & Ahmad, 2017), during shortened pre‐ovulatory follicular phase‐in Holstein Friesian cows and on day 34 in pregnant lactating dairy cattle to predict pregnancy loss (Kelley, Galvão, Mortensen, Risco, & Ealy, 2017). This study aimed to investigate the ovarian responses, hormonal changes and dynamics of the uterine and ovarian arterial blood flows in cows after the end of superovulation with Folltropin, as no reports studied the changes in ovarian artery either ipsilateral or contralateral to the ovulation side after end of superovulation.…”

Luteal blood flow measured by Doppler ultrasonography during the first three weeks after artificial insemination in pregnant and non-pregnant <i>Bos indicus</i> dairy cows

“…Subsequently, researchers became interested in using this technique to predict the pregnancy in crossbred beef cows [23], German Holstein cows [24], Italian Mediterranean buffaloes [25], mares [26], beef heifers [27], and Holstein Friesian cows [28]. More recently, it was used to predict the occurrence of embryonic loss based on the uterine and ovarian vascular dynamics in dairy cows [29].…”

Changes in Doppler indices throughout pregnancy in queens

“…The use of D-USG in veterinary practice has increased over the last decade. The haemodynamic characteristics of maternal and foetal vessels throughout pregnancy were previously reported in mares (Ouset et al 2012;Ferreira et al 2015), cows (Kelley et al 2017), ewes (Elmetwally et al 2016;Turna Yilmaz et al 2017), goats (Serin et al 2010), rabbits (Polisca et al 2010), bitches (Di Salvo et al 2006), and queens (Scotti et al 2008;Blanco et al 2014;Blanco et al 2016). As these studies show, the evaluation of the haemodynamic characteristics of maternal and foetal vessels by Doppler ultrasonography in pregnancy provides early diagnosis of foetal hypoxia, allows for appropriate treatment protocols to be determined, and leads to the successful management of pregnancy (Filkins and Koos 2005).…”