APPLICABILITY OF FETAL THORACIC AORTIC DIAMETER MEASUREMENT IN THE PREDICTION OF BIRTH WEIGHT IN HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN COWS - SHORT COMMUNICATION

作者：Vincze Boglarka; Gaspardy Andras; Kovacs Levente; Albert Ervin; Kezer Luca; Baska Ferenc; Szenci Otto

来源：Acta Veterinaria Hungarica, 2017, 65(1): 60-65.

DOI：10.1556/004.2017.006

• Fetal well-being
• ultrasonography
• aortic diameter
• cattle

Transabdominal ultrasonography has been shown to be a useful and reliable method for assessing fetal well-being in horses and cattle. To test the applicability of fetal aortic diameter measurement in cattle, 44 late-term pregnant cows and heifers were examined 21 to 0 days prior to calving. Mean fetal aortic diameter was 2.07 +/- 0.14 cm and mean fetal heart rate (FHR) was 109 +/- 17 bpm. Three dead calves were dissected and their aortic diameter was measured in a water bath. The mean birth weight (n = 44) was 39.9 +/- 5.8 kg. There was a significant negative correlation between FHR and fetal aortic diameter. However, although some studies have shown that fetal aortic diameter strongly correlates with birth weight in near-term horses and cattle, in this study there was no correlation between fetal aortic diameter and birth weight in Holstein-Friesian cows and heifers irrespective of whether the fetus was born alive or dead.

• 出版日期2017-3