PREGNANCY DIAGNOSIS IN COW USING PROGESTERONE MEASUREMENTS

Summary Performing an early pregnancy diagnosis by the P4 level measurements some management problems in cow may be anticipated and counteracted; thus, the non-pregnant females are identified and reinseminated. 28 females were included in this study, out of which 21 cows (both primiparous and multiparous) and 7 heifers. The blood samples used to establish the pregnancy diagnosis were taken 19 days postinsemination. The spectophotometric method was used in order to determine the progesterone levels in serum. The results were compared with the ones of the clinical transrectal palpation, the last being performed 50 days postinsemination. The criterion for the pregnancy diagnosis was represented by the progesterone levels value of 3 ng/ml in serum. Out of the 28 cows, 8 were considered non-pregnant, having the progesterone level under the value of 3ng/ml. The non-pregnant diagnosis was 100% correct; the pregnancy diagnosis was 75% correct. The test sensitivity was 100%, the specificity was 53%, the positive pedictevalues-75%, the negative predicted –100% and the accuracy was 82%. The pregnancy diagnosis established by measuring the progesterone levels is a valuable method to improve the reproductive management in the dairy cattle farms.