The Role of Transrectal Sonography in Pregnancy Diagnosis in Cattle

Abstract

Objective: A reproduction management strategy is an essential component of any cattle production operation. Options include palpation per rectum, transrectal sonography, or biochemical blood tests. To determine the best method, veterinary costs must be weighed against operational costs of maintaining open cattle. Materials and Methods: An online literature search using PubMed, Medline, CINAHL, EBSCO, and Google Scholar was completed to find relevant articles regarding pregnancy detection in cattle, costs of reproductive management in cattle, and pregnancy loss in cattle. Priority was given to original research articles pertaining to palpation per rectum, transrectal ultrasound, fetal gender, and pregnancy loss. Results: Transrectal sonography can detect a pregnancy up to 15 days earlier than palpation per rectum and has sensitivities and specificities as high as 97% when performed between days 21 and 35 post artificial insemination. Conclusion: Cattle producers can be confident that transrectal sonography is a useful tool in the beef and dairy cattle industry. Its use facilitates reproductive management decisions, such as re-breeding or culling, thus reducing expenses, and increasing profitability.

Early prediction of oestrus for herd fertility management in cattle and buffaloes – a review

“…USG images typically reveal a distinct endometrial lining with a slight accumulation of non‐echogenic fluids during oestrus (Pierson & Ginther, 1984). USG assessment of ovarian and uterine function provides superior insights compared to rectal palpation of the ovaries in interpreting the stage of the oestrous cycle and early pregnancy (Bagley et al., 2023). Generally, a real‐time B‐mode USG machine equipped with a 5 MHz transrectal probe is effective for evaluating the reproductive tract, including the ovaries in bovine reproduction (Dixit & Haloi, 2022).…”