PARENT SESSION
Pregnancy and Parturition

ULTRASONOGRAPHIC STUDIES ON FETAL DEVELOPMENT IN GOATS: ACTIVITIES OF KID IN UTERO.

Kumar, Jitendra¹, Chandolia, Ramesh¹, Verma, Sudershan¹, ¹

ABSTRACT- Present study was aimed to study kid development in utero up to day 63. For the study, five Black-Bengal goats with known breeding record were selected and ultrasound scanning was done using a Vet scanner 200 (Pie Medical:The Netherlands) and a linear transducer of switchable frequency between 5.0 and 7.5 MHz. The transrectal real time, B-mode ultrasonographic scanning was obtained on video between day 18 to day 63 post mating. The animals were lightly restrained by an assistant and prepared for transrectal ultrasonography by removing fecal material and insertion of ultrascan gel into rectum. On day 18, accumulation of non-echoic fluid in the uterus in the vicinity of urinary bladder was observed, while on day 23, a long echoic streak of conceptus extended all along the length of conceptual fluid was identified and twin pregnancy was recorded. On day 26, the mean value of heartbeat was 204 beats per minute in the center of conceptus. On day 32, rod shaped conceptus, encircled by amniotic membrane was seen, while on day 40, budding of fetal extremities and triplets were seen.On day 43, elongation of extremities was recorded. On day 46, fully formed fetus with head and limb movements was seen. On day 50, Jerking movements of head and swallowing of fetal fluid was observed. On day 53, fetus appeared to protrude tongue from mouth and tried to lick the forelimbs and upward and downward movements of head were recorded. On day 55, stirring of fetal fluid with hind limbs, touching of umbilicus with forelimbs were recorded and on day 63, fetus appeared bending its neck and head resting on the trunk/thorax. From these observations, it appeared that i) fetus starts its, in utero, activities from day 46, onwards, ii) uses its tongue in utero and iii) have a normal resting position of neck.

KEY WORDS: Ultrasound, Goat, Kid, Pregnancy