Comparative Study of Early Pregnancy Diagnosis in Buffaloes using Ultrasonography and Serum Progesterone Assay

Total 39 healthy buffaloes under uniform housing, feeding and managemental conditions were selected randomly for the study having history of 18 to 60 days after natural service. By trans-rectal ultrasonography, pregnancy was confirmed on the basis of embryonic vesicle, embryo proper with heart-beats. Overall average serum progesterone levels in pregnant and non-pregnant irrespective of stage of gestation were 4.64 ± 0.30 and 0.87 ± 0.37 ng/ml, respectively. The present study revealed that sensitivity, specificity and positive as well as negative predictive value along with the overall accuracy is 100 percent in all stages of gestation using ultrasonography. Trans-rectal ultrasonography and serum progesterone levels showed 100 percent sensitively and negative predictive value. The specificity and positive predictive value was higher by ultrasonography (100%) than by serum progesterone assay (93.33%). Thus, trans-rectal ultrasonography can be a 100 percent diagnostic technique for early pregnancy as it not only helps in diagnosing early pregnancy but at the same time gives extra information of physio-pathology of genital tract.