Document Type

Report

Report Number

94-13

Publication Date

1994

Keywords

ultrasound, heifers, cows, cycling, pregnancy

Summary

The use of ultrasound technology in reproductive management of beef cow herds is currently being evaluated in ongoing projects with cooperator herds in South Dakota. The projects include the use of ultrasound for the purposes of evaluating 1) cycling activity of heifers on estrous synchronization programs immediately prior to breeding and 2) early pregnancy detection and aging of fetuses in heifers and mature cows. Information obtained from these images will be used by producers to make management decisions associated with the breeding season, selection of heifers, and nutrition. Ovaries are evaluated for the presence of follicles and a corpus luteum, while pregnancies are determined from the presence or absence of a viable fetus. Age of the fetus is determined by the relative size of the fetus which can be measured by the machine. Initial data indicate that ultrasound technology can be used for all of the above mentioned purposes. One hundred fifty-eight heifers have been evaluated for cyclicity and 416 heifers have been scanned for early pregnancy. Pregnancy will be determined in 900 head of mature cows. As this is an ongoing project, calving data will be collected during the 1995 calving season to confirm ultrasound results.

Number of Pages

4

Format

application/pdf

Language

en

Publisher

South Dakota State University

Rights

Copyright © 1994 South Dakota State University.

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