DOI: 10.30607/kvj.1319566 ISSN:

A novel subjective scoring method for evaluation of uterine echotexture of Holstein cows and heifers

Kemal Tuna OLĞAÇ
  • General Medicine
Show PDF Cite
In the study, it has been aimed to develop a scoring scale, graded from 1 to 5, to identify different gray tones of the ultrasonographic images of uterus, and the pregnancy determination in cows has been tried to made by the scoring technique, in the first 20 days after artificial insemination. Sixty Holstein cows (n:30) and heifers (n:30) were enrolled in the study. For each animal, at least two ultrasonographic images were taken (totally 1615 images) starting from the day of the artificial insemination (D0) until the 20th day (D20) on alternate days. At the same time that images were taken, subjective scoring were made. Then, the images were evaluated to determine MGV values by ImageJ (ImageJ 1.53k; NIH, ABD) software. The obtained data at the end of the evaluations were analyzed in terms of age of animals (cow or heifer), the days of examinations (alternate days between D0 and D20) and the 28th day pregnancy status (pregnant or non-pregnant). Also score rates were given by one experienced and one inexperienced indepentednt operators to determine scoring agreement level in terms of epxerience on the ultrasonographic examinations. The mean MGV values indicated statistically significant differences only between days of sampling (p0.05). It has been determined that experienced (Rater 1) and inexperienced (Rater 2) raters have agreement (p0.05). In conclusion, it has been observed that the 256 different shades of gray (MGV) which is analyzed by computer assissted image analysis could be identifed by human eye in a 5 graded scale. However, the endometrium of the ovulation side cornu uteri reflects the same differentation in the presence or absence of pregnancy, in the first 20 days.

More from our Archive