J. Anim Sci.
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J. Anim. Sci. 2000. 77:1-8
© 2000 American Society of Animal Science

Real-time ultrasound diagnosis of ovulation and ovarian cysts in sows and its impact on artificial insemination efficiency1

D. Waberski*,2, A. Kunz-Schmidt*, G. Borchardt Neto*, L. Richter{dagger} and K. F. Weitze*

* Institute for Reproductive Medicine, Veterinary School of Hannover, Germany and {dagger} Hülsenberg Research Farm, Wahlstedt, Germany

2. Correspondence: Bünteweg 15, D-30559 Hannover (fax: 49-511-9538504; E-mail: dwaber{at}repro.tiho-hannover.de).

Abstract

In the last decade, real-time B-mode ultrasound for ovarian diagnosis in pigs has been used in numerous experimental studies aimed at elucidating the relationship between estrus, ovulation, time of insemination, and fertility. This article describes the uses and benefits of real-time sonography for ovarian diagnosis for fertility control in swine breeding herds. The reliability of diagnosis is closely related to the experience of the investigator and the ultrasound unit used. Sonographic studies in sow herds revealed considerable differences in the variation of onset of estrus-ovulation intervals between farms. Ovarian sonography, therefore, is suggested as a useful tool to monitor the ovulation behavior on a given farm and, consequently, to establish a farm-specific insemination strategy. A long-term herd study using 346 sows showed that animals with single or multiple ovarian cysts had lower fertility than animals without cysts. The majority of the cysts regress spontaneously and are clinically inapparent. The differential diagnosis of ovarian cysts requires repeated sonographic investigation. The main impact of ovarian diagnosis in pigs is in the detection of ovulation as a prerequisite for establishing farm-specific AI strategies and the detection of ovarian cysts as a possible cause for suboptimal fertility results.

Footnotes

1. Supported by the German Association of German Pig Producers (ZDS, Bonn), the H.W. Schaumann Foundation, and the GfS Ascheberg, Germany.






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