41 PREGNANCY DIAGNOSIS IN GOATS Lionel J. Dawson BVSc, MS, Diplomate ACT College of Veterinary Medicine Oklahoma State University Stillwater, Oklahoma, 74078 Introduction During recent years, there has been increasing awareness in the need for early diagnosis of pregnancy in goats. Examination of goats for pregnancy may be done as part of a reproductive herd health program or may simply be requested by the pet goat owner who would like to know the pregnancy status of his or her doe. A reliable technique for early detection of pregnancy would allow early culling or rebreeding of barren does. Perhaps the most important reason for pregnancy diagnosis is detection of pseudopregnancy or hydrometra, which may occur in pet and commercial goats, especially in dairy herds where breeding is delayed to adjust milk supplies. Does pronounced open or pseudo pregnant are often culled or given prostaglandin to make them come in estrus. So there is great emphasis placed on a highly accurate pregnancy test. A variety of examination methods have evolved over the years. Ultrasonography, hormone assay, and radiography have emerged as the most useful methods utilized today. Older described methods of laparotomy, cervical palpation, abdominal palpation or ballottement, and rectal- abdominal palpation with a rod have limited utility or have been abandoned. Although non-return to estrus following breeding is suggestive of pregnancy, pathologic conditions of the uterus and ovaries, physiologic anestrus late in the breeding season, and out of season breeding may cause postbreeding anestrus in nonpregnant does. Many does also exhibit estrous behavior during pregnancy, making this an unreliable means of pregnancy diagnosis. Choice of the above methods depends on availability of equipment, number of days postbreeding, number of animals to examine, desired accuracy, need for immediate results, cost to the client, and experience of the examiner. Different Methods of Pregnancy Diagnosis in Goats 1. Non-Return to Estrus 2. Progesterone Assay Blood Ewes = 15 to 17 days Does = 18 to 22 days Plasma P4 > 1.0 ng/mL Accuracy = 75 - 86% pregnant = 90 - 100% non-pregnant Milk RIA milk P4: above 10 ng/mL = 86% pregnant <10 ng/ml = 100% non-pregnant Plasma concentrations of progesterone tend to be more predictable of the true endocrine status.