Livestock Studies 2002, Vol 42, Num, 1     (Pages: 025-033)

Estimation of Early Pregnancy Diagnostic Range by Transrectal and Transabdominal Ultrasonographic Method in Akkaraman Ewes

Sükrü KÜPLÜLÜ 1 ,Yunus ÇETİN 2 ,H. Ceyhun MACUN 3 ,Umut TAŞDEMİR 4

1 Ankara Üniversitesi, Veteriner Fakültesi, Dogum ve Jinekoloji Anabilim Dalı - ANKARA
2 Yüzüncü Yıl Üniversitesi, Veteriner Fakültesi, Doğum ve Jinekoloji Anabilim Dalı - VAN
3 Kırıkkale Üniversitesi, Veteriner Fakültesi, Doğum ve Reproduksiyon Hast. Anabilim Dalı– KIRIKKALE
4 Lalahan Hayvancılık Merkez Araştırma Estitüsü – ANKARA
- The aim of this study were to detect the ranges of early pregnacy determination by transrectal and transabdominal ultrasonography, to define the ultrasonographic image of these pregnacy periods and determine the critical and practical experience of the treatments in ewes.

A number of 57 Akkaraman ewes having pregnancies of 17-50 days were used as the material. Transrectal and transabdominal ultrasonography (5MHz, Shimadsu SDL32,Japan) were applied to each sheep. Pregnacy findings were reconfirmed by USG 60 days after the first application.

Pregnancies were detected with a rate of 94.7% via transrectal USG between 17 and 31 days after the insemination and 89.4% after the 32nd day by transabdominal method. Both methods were found similarly effective between the 28th and 38th days of the gestation. By using these two methods together between 17th and 50th days of pregnancy an accuracy of 96.5% was obtained. Visions of anechogenic circle of 4 mm diameter on day 17 and hyphoechogenic structures like letter ``C` in an anechogenic circle of 8 mm diameter on day 21 were found as early pregnancy ultrasonographic findings. Embriofoetal lenghts on 28, 30, 34 and 40. days of pregnancies is were measured as 12, 13, 21 and 34 mm respectively. The parietal diameters of the cranium on days 37, 41 and 45 were measured as 11, 12 and 15 mm respectively. The effectiveness of the transrectal and transabdominal routes of USG diagnosis were found as similar but transrectal treatment method was found to be easier and quicker.

As a result, it was evident that a 5 MHz transducer used in transrectal route between days 17 and 32 after the insemination and in transabdominal route after 32nd day for pregnancy diagnosis in Akkaraman ewes had practical aspects and the estimation of pregnancy age by the ultrasonographic images were confirmed. Keywords : Ewe, transrectal and transabdominal ultrasonography, early pregnancy diagnosis