Evaluation of bovine visual ELISA test for detection of pregnancy-associated glycoproteins in early pregnancy diagnosis in goats

Abstract

Pregnancy diagnosis is the primary factor for improving reproductive performance and high economic efficiency in herds. Early pregnancy diagnosis, on the other hand, allows livestock to optimise production with greater reproductive performance and correct it with timely intervention. In the present study, it was aimed to investigate the effectiveness and reliability of the commercial rapid visual pregnancy test kit prepared for the detection of pregnancy-associated glycoproteins from blood serum in early pregnancy diagnosis in goats. Healthy and fertile, 3–5 years old 150 Damascus goats were used in the study. Oestrous synchronisation was applied to the goats between the anoestrous period and the onset of the transition period. Goats in oestrous were bred naturally. Blood samples were taken from the goats on the 28th day after their breeding. Progesterone measurement and rapid visual pregnancy test were performed from the blood samples taken. For the diagnosis of pregnancy, transabdominal ultrasonography was applied to the goats 50 days after the breeding. Ultrasonographic examination results were used as reference value. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value ratios of serum progesterone measurement and visual PAG-ELISA kit were determined as 88.23%, 91.46%, 89.55%, 90.36% and 94.12%, 80.49%, 80%, 94.29%, respectively. In the study, it was ascertained that progesterone concentration results were in good agreement with ultrasonography results (kappa=0.798), and visual PAG-ELISA results were in good agreement with ultrasonography results (kappa = 0.735). Moreover, the concordance of progesterone concentration results with visual PAG-ELISA results was also found to be excellent (kappa = 0.828). The ability to accurately diagnose serum progesterone measurement and visual PAG-ELISA kit was found to be 90% and 86.67%, respectively. In conclusion, it can be accepted that the visual PAG-ELISA test in goats is useful in distinguishing pregnant from non-pregnant animals in the early stages of pregnancy. It can be said that in practice it can be used alone or in combination with other methods.