ASSESSMENT OF RECTAL PALPATION AS A TECHNIQUE FOR THE DETECTION OF CORPORA LUTEA AND ESTIMATION OF THE STAGE OF PREGNANCY IN ZEBU COWS

Abstract

Twenty eight multiparous Bunaji cows were used to evaluate rectal palpation as a technique for identifying the presence or absence of corpora lutea (CL) and estimating the stage of pregnancy in Zebu cows. Overall correlations (85.7%) between rec tal p alpa­tion findings and progesterone (P4) levels were more than non-correlations (14.3%). Correlations between CL diagnosis or lack of CL and progesterone levels were 78.8% and 88.4% respectively. Estimation of the stage of pregnancy by rectal palpation corre­lated with the stages based on calving dates in 77.1, 55.6 and 60.9% of the cases during the first, second and third trimesters of pregnancy, respectively. In general, rectal palpation was a reliable method of detecting CL and estimating the stage of pregnancy in the Zebu cows.