Early pregnancy diagnosis in sheep by progesterone and pregnancy-associated glycoprotein tests

[en] The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of the progesterone (P4) and pregnancy associated glycoprotein (PAG) tests for determination of early pregnancy in sheep. Estrus was synchronized in 182 Awassi x Merino ewes and blood samples were collected at Days 0 (day of the insemination), 18, 22, 29, 36, and 50 after artificial insemination (AI). Plasma P4 concentrations at Days 0 and 18 were determined by double antibody radioimmunoassay, while PAG concentrations at Days 22, 29, 36 and 50 were determined by a heterologous, double-antibody radioimmunoassay (RIA) using the bovine PAG 67 kDa subunit as tracer and standard and rabbit antiserum raised against a mixture of caprine 55 and 59 kDa PAG subunits as the first antibody. The discriminatory value for diagnosis of pregnancy by the P4 and the PAG-RIA tests was greater than or equal to1 ng/ml. Based on lambing data, the accuracy for diagnosing pregnant (sensitivity) and non-pregnant ewes (specificity) and predictivity of both tests were calculated. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values for P4 and PAG tests were 100, 95.4, 81.6, and 100% at Day 18 (P4) and 93.5, 100, 100 and 98.7% at Day 22 (PAG), respectively. For diagnosis of non-pregnant ewes the PAG test had significantly higher specificity than the P4 test (P < 0.05). It is concluded that ovine pregnancy can be reliably diagnosed at Day 22 after AI by using a heterologous radioimmunoassay of PAG.

Disciplines :

Veterinary medicine & animal health

Author, co-author :

Karen, A.

Beckers, Jean-François ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de sciences fonctionnelles > Physiologie de la reproduction

Sulon, Joseph ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de sciences fonctionnelles > Physiologie de la reproduction

Melo de Sousa, Noelita ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de sciences fonctionnelles > Physiologie de la reproduction

Szabados, K.

Reczigel, J.

Szenci, O.

Language :

English

Title :

Early pregnancy diagnosis in sheep by progesterone and pregnancy-associated glycoprotein tests

Publication date :

May 2003

Journal title :

Theriogenology

ISSN :

0093-691X

eISSN :

1879-3231

Publisher :

Elsevier, New York, United States - New York

Volume :

Issue :

Pages :

1941-1948

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Available on ORBi :

since 19 March 2009

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