Ultrasonographic pregnancy diagnosis and litter size determination in Sudanese Nubian goats

Abstract

The present study was conducted on 86 Nubian goats to evaluate the accuracy of real-time ultrasonography for pregnancy diagnosis and fetal quantification. In this study, animals were fasted for 12 hrs and the ventral abdomen was clipped and shaved carefully. Real-time scanner (Pie medical Easote, Holland) with switchable frequency (3.5-5) MHz convex and (5-7.5) MHz micro convex probe was used while the animals were properly restrained on a dorsal recumbency on a special designed table. The sensitivity (Se), specificity (Sp) and overall accuracy of the method for detecting pregnancy status were 100, 94.3 and 96.5% respectively. The Se, Sp, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) for determining single feti were 86.9, 69.2, 88.3 and 75% respectively. Regarding diagnosis of twin feti, the Se, Sp, PPV and NPV were as follows: 90, 88.4, 75 and 95.8% respectively. The overall accuracy for all predictions was found to be 80.5%. In conclusion B-mode real-time ultrasound was found to be highly efficient, reliable and non-time consuming method for detecting pregnant goats. In conclusion real time ultrasound is considered rapid, practical and accurate means for predicting pregnancy and quantifying fetal numbers in Nubian goats. However; rescanning and follow up of the pregnant animals is recommended to exclude false positives, false negatives and early embryonic death