Abstract
The aim of this study was to assess the uterine blood flow (UBF) and corpus luteum blood flow (CLBF) in llamas 8 days post-mating, using color-Doppler ultrasonography (CDU), to determine the possible relationship between vascularization and the presence of an embryo. Adult females (n = 25) were used to monitor ovarian dynamics by palpation and transrectal ultrasonography until detection of a ≥6 mm growing follicle. Females were randomly assigned to one of two groups: Group I (n = 19), were mated and ovulation was induced by a single dose of buserelin (GnRH analog) that same day (Day 0); and Group II (n = 6), only ovulation was induced (control). On Day 8, UBF and CLBF were evaluated transrectally in both groups. The color-flow images obtained were analyzed with Image J1.52a software to determine the vascularization area and the percentage of corpus luteum with blood flow emission (CLBF%) together with the percentage for each uterine horn (UBF%). Statistical analysis was performed using an ANOVA test. In Group I, uterine flushing was performed to obtain the embryos, thus dividing the females into Group I+ (n = 10), when an embryo was recovered and Group I- (n = 9), when no embryo was recovered. Embryo recovery rate was 52.63% (10/19). In Group I+, UBF% was significantly higher compared to Group I- and Group II (P <0.05). UBF appears to be a good predictor for embryo presence, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.9 and an optimal cut-off value of 9.37% (with a sensitivity of 90% and specificity of 88.9%). The CLBF% did not differ between groups (P > 0.05). In conclusion, it is possible to detect a local increase of UBF in the presence of an embryo on day 8 post-mating in llamas. This could be useful to achieve an early pregnancy diagnosis or to decide whether to carry out the uterine flushing in a llama embryo transfer program.
Highlights
Llamas are monotocous and have a prolonged gestation period [335–360 days; [1]], early pregnancy diagnosis would allow a greater efficiency to obtain one offspring per female per year when conception fails and gives better productive indices
The aim of this study was to assess the uterine blood flow and corpus luteum blood flow in llamas, 8 days post-mating using color Doppler ultrasonography to determine the possible relationship between vascularization and the presence of an embryo
Embryo recovery rate was 52.63% (10/19), with a total of 11 embryos recovered from 19 flushing procedures
Summary
Llamas are monotocous and have a prolonged gestation period [335–360 days; [1]], early pregnancy diagnosis would allow a greater efficiency to obtain one offspring per female per year when conception fails and gives better productive indices. There are even dominant females that, in absence of high progesterone levels, still reject the male without being pregnant This method does not provide information on the number of embryos or fetuses present, their state of development or health. Pregnancy evaluation by transrectal palpation is possible 35 days after mating in llamas, with greater accuracy 45–50 days after mating [2, 3, 7] This is a simple, low-cost maneuver that provides fetal viability data, the estimation of gestational age, and prediction of probable date of parturition, are not precise [8]. It gives information regarding the number, development and viability of the embryo/s or fetus/es, it allows one to approximate gestational age [10], even when the date of natural mating is unknown, and estimate the probable date of parturition
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