Ultrasonography and Infrared Thermography as a Comparative Diagnostic Tool to Clinical Examination to Determine Udder Health in Sows.

Abstract

Simple SummaryThe udder health of sows is most important to raise healthy piglets. The aim of the study was to investigate a possible advantage of infrared thermography and ultrasonography over the clinical examination of the udder of sows. For this purpose, both clinically healthy sows with inconspicuous udders on palpation before and after birth (n = 35) and sows at the time of weaning (n = 107) were examined. Images of thermography and ultrasound revealed no pathological alterations in the clinically healthy sows. A physiological statistically significant increase in the udder surface temperature and the thickness of the parenchyma during the three weeks ante partum was observed. After weaning, abnormalities in the appearance of roundish nodules of the parenchyma were detected sonographically in 10.3% of the examined sows, while the demonstrated nodules were unrecognised clinically in two out of eleven sows. The changes could also be demonstrated thermographically because of a statistically significant lower surface temperature above the nodules compared to the remaining skin of the mammary gland. However, scratches on the udder skin showed similar temperature changes. Therefore, thermographic images without prior inspection of the udder can lead to misinterpretation.The aim of the study was to examine whether the use of infrared thermography and ultrasonography can complement or replace the clinical examination of the sows’ mammary glands for pathological alterations. Sows of different parities with inconspicuous udders on palpation before and after birth (n = 35) and sows at the time of weaning (n = 107) were examined. Thermal images were taken from both sides of the udder, while ultrasound pictures were taken from four sides of the respective mammary glands. Within three weeks before birth, a statistically significant increase in the average surface temperature of the glands of about 1.54 °C and of the thickness of the parenchyma of about 1.39 cm could be observed. After weaning, in 10.3% of the examined sows, roundish hyperechogenic nodules were detected sonographically in the glands´ parenchyma. The average skin temperature above the nodules was 1.24 °C lower compared to the total skin area of the altered complex. However, scratches on the udder skin showed similar temperature changes. In two sows, the nodules remained undetected during the clinical examination. Therefore, sonography seems to be superior compared to clinical and thermographic investigations, although it proved to be very time-consuming.