Approaches to Identify Pregnancy Failure in Buffalo Cows

Abstract

The aim of this work was to find the best strategy to diagnose pregnancy failures in buffalo. A total of 109 animals belonging to a buffalo herd subjected to a synchronization and artificial insemination (AI) program were enrolled in this study. Blood samples were collected at days 0, 14, 25, 28 and 40 after AI for the determination of progesterone (P4) and pregnancy-associated glycoproteins (PAGs) by the radioimmunoassay (RIA) method. Transrectal ultrasonography was performed on day 25, 28 and 40 after AI to monitor pregnancy. The animals included in the data analysis were assigned ex post in pregnant (n = 50) and mortality (n = 12) groups. By ultrasonography, the predictive sign of mortality was the heartbeat. At day 25, the PAGs concentration was significant in predicting embryonic mortality with respect to ultrasonography and P4, at the cut-off of 1.1 ng/mL. At day 28, either PAGs, at a cut-off of 2.2 ng/mL, or ultrasonography, with no detection of heartbeat, were highly predictive of embryonic mortality. PAGs were the best marker (p < 0.05) for predicting embryonic mortality between 25 and 40 days of gestation in buffalo. Its utilization as a diagnostic tool can influence management decisions in order to improve farm reproductive management.

Development and Validation of a Test for the Classification of Horses as Broken or Unbroken

“…Based on the area under the curve (AUC), the BUT score may be considered to be uninformative (AUC = 0.50), poorly accurate (0.50 ≤ AUC ≤ 0.70), moderately accurate (0.70 ≤ AUC ≤ 0.90), very accurate (0.90 ≤ AUC < 1) or perfect (AUC = 1). The optimal cut-off was determined using Youden’s index [ 45 , 46 ].…”

Using Pregnancy-Associated Glycoproteins (PAGs) to Improve Reproductive Management: From Dairy Cows to Other Dairy Livestock

“…Recently, Barile et al [ 11 ] showed that PAGs permitted the discrimination between buffalo that experienced embryonic mortality and those that maintained pregnancy starting from 25 days of gestation, defining the optimal cut-off value for predicting mortality at day 25 and 28 post-AI.…”

“…Embryo death can be visibly diagnosed by an undetectable heartbeat; nevertheless, when an embryo with a heartbeat is viewed, there is no indication as to whether or not embryo mortality will occur. Therefore, ultrasonography is not predictive of embryonic mortality [ 11 ]. Thus, new technologies to identify embryonic mortality early after AI may play a key role in management strategies to improve the reproductive efficiency and profitability of dairy farms.…”

[Retracted] Study on Various Luteal Characteristics Using Doppler Ultrasonography for Early Pregnancy Diagnosis in Nili‐Ravi Buffaloes

“…Similarly, other chemical based methods have also been reported to detect pregnancy in buffaloes and rely on quantification of progesterone (P 4 ) in milk and blood at around day 24 post-AI [ 9 ]. Pregnancy associated glycoproteins (PAGs) have also been reported for pregnancy diagnosis in buffalo with acceptable accuracy around day 25 postbreeding [ 10 ]. Apart from difficulty in conducting chemical-based methods under the field conditions, these methods require repeated sampling and are useful only after maternal recognition of pregnancy that takes place at around day 17 postbreeding [ 11 ].…”