4th alternative pregnancy tests 10.26.12 - OABP Education/2012/Fall/EA 2.pdfDG29 is an easy-to-use bovine blood pregnancy test. Blood samples are drawn from cattle on the farm or ranch,

11/17/2012

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Aalseth Dairy Consulting

Alternative Pregnancy tests

and breeding programs

Earl Aalseth PhD, DVM


Change in Current dairy

veterinary services paradigm

• Dairies are larger and farther apart

• Herdsman or laymen are performing

more conventional veterinary actions

– Obstetrics

– IV therapy

– Therapeutic drenches

– Lame cows –commercial foot trimmers


How do clients perceive

veterinary

- My veterinarian is invaluable in the

reproduction process

- Provides good protocols

pregnancy Dx

- Finds dysfunctional cows

- Diagnoses reproductive problems

- Keeps me accountable for program

compliance

- The routine visits force me to review my

overall dairy management Aalseth Dairy Consulting


veterinary pregnancy Dx

- My veterinarian is necessary in the


- Provides good protocols

- Finds dysfunctional cows

- Diagnoses reproductive problems

- Time for herd checks is restricted by other

demands-repro lower priority.



veterinary pregnancy Dx

- My veterinarian is unnecessary in the


- Veterinary expense can be eliminated.

- I can still get prescription drugs, not that

many emergencies and not fixable

- My herdsman can preg check as well or I

can use blood/milk tests.

- There are good breeding protocols from

other sources so that I do not even have to

heat check. Aalseth Dairy Consulting

Contemporary dairy

veterinary involvement

paradigm

– Train herdsman on sick cow exams

– Teach obstetrical procedures

– Train herdsman to perform medical LDA

correction

– Lame cow therapy training

– Milkers schools

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Alternatives to Veterinary

pregnancy diagnosis

• Trained herdsman/on site veterinarian

• Lay palpator/diagnostician/AI

technician

• Chemical tests

– PAG tests blood and milk Lab or cowside

– Progesterone blood lab or cowside.


Non Veterinary pregnancy

physical Dx considerations• Much less expensive

• Should be less skilled

– Ovaries easy to learn signs of early

pregnancy-difficult

– Quality of uterine health and pregnancy

challenging

– Ultrasound not too difficult but neither is

palpation-both can be well or poorly

applied even by veterinarians

– Embryo/fetus safety


Non Veterinary pregnancy

physical Dx considerations• Instant information that can be used

even during breeding ie sort cow based

on fertility.

• But will the dairyperson pay for the

skills?

• Can they keep on a disciplined routine?

• Will they drift from protocol?

• Will this infection spread to other

clients?Aalseth Dairy Consulting


Tips & Warnings

Do not attempt to draw a blood sample from a cow

unless you have been instructed in the procedure by

a veterinarian or an experienced cattle farmer.

Read more: How to Pregnancy Test a Cow |

eHow.com

http://www.ehow.com/how_2120828_pregnancy-

test-cow.html#ixzz2BtBTeiKY


Use Rectal Palpitation of the Cow's Uterus (Thirty

Days After Breeding) From ehow.com

4 Put on an arm's length latex glove and spread some

lubricant on the gloved hand. Stand close behind the

cow, lift her tail and begin to insert your hand and arm

into her rectum.

5 Feel the back of the cow's uterus, which will be in a

downward position, with your inserted hand. Move

your hand and arm firmly but gently. After thirty days

of gestation, the fetus should be about the size of a

softball and will feel like a soft, but distinctive lump

under your hand.

6 Remove your arm and hand from the cow steadily

and gently. You should now have an answer to your

question of "is she or isn't she" pregnant.

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Chemical pregnancy tests

• Milk progesteone analysis was not

reliable in the past. But inline systems

look promising.

• There both laboratory and cowside

tests.

• Maybe daily information will improve

precision

• Best use of inline high frequency tests

might be ovulation/ovarian

function/cycle position. Aalseth Dairy Consulting


-Three PAG tests

Biopryn

DG 29

Idexx

- There could be more in the future as

there are more PAGS.

- All these are similar assays that can be

done on blood and milk-cowside.



-Depending on the test analysis can be

performed by the parent lab, veterinarian

or regional lab.

-Or be done on the dairy as a milk

cowside test-more expensive.

-Access to the tests comes from

veterinarians, AI organizations and parent

labs at this time.



- A regional/veterinary clinic lab can be

set up for about $15000 per Idexx.

- Test plates are about $1.35-1.56 per test

with bulk discounts available.

- Complete blood tests-results sell for

$2.50-3.29.

- That leaves about $2.00 to cover

laboratory cost and profit.


DG29™

Bovine Blood Pregnancy Test

What is DG29?

DG29 is an easy-to-use bovine blood

pregnancy test. Blood samples are drawn from

cattle

on the farm or ranch, forwarded to a certified

AgSource laboratory

and pregnancy diagnosis results are returned to

the farm quickly and accurately.

CRI Genex

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BioPryn value calculator:their numbers

Labor Blood Sample or Palpate

This row reflects the cost of labor for either blood sampling

or performing rectal palpation.

The BioPRYN column is the cost for time for taking a blood

sample. The default is $0.33. This breaks down to $20.00 an

hour, assuming 1 cow sampled every minute. Adjust this

value to your own labor costs and sampling speed.

The rectal palpation column is the hourly labor for a

veterinarian performing rectal exams. The default amount

of $1.67 per cow uses a vet fee of $100 with each exam

lasting 60 seconds. Adjust this total to reflect the labor fees

and speed of your veterinarian.

BioPryn

Supplies and Shipping

Below is a table reflecting the shipping and supply costs

for BioPRYN testing.

Tubes (red topped) $ .15

Needles, 18 G, 1 inch .15

Shipping, (50 samples) .20

TOTAL = $ 0.50

BioPryn

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Cost of Embryo Death

What is embryo death?

During the procedure of rectal palpation embryos are

touched and a certain percentage of those die. This death

does not occur when using BioPRYN because the test is

based on blood sampling.

BioPryn

Why do dead embryos cost money?

There are three reasons why an embryo death costs the herd

owner money. The first is lost milk production in the mother

(due to longer lactation at a lower level). The second is lost

calf production; a valuable animal has been aborted.

What are the total costs to the herd owner?

Estimates of financial impact range from as low as $1.44 per

cow palpated to as high as $15.75 per cow palpated. For this

savings worksheet BioTracking uses the conservative

estimate of $1.44 per cow.

References provide do not support palpation induced

pregnancy loss.

BioPryn

Cost of Test Inaccuracy

What is test inaccuracy?

Rectal palpation is not as accurate as BioPRYN in determining

animal pregnancy. Inaccurate detection of cows ultimately

costs the owner money.

Why do inaccurate results cost money?

BioPrynThe costs occur when pregnant cows are treated with

hormones to initiate a new reproductive cycle. These

pregnant cows were identified by the test as being non-

pregnant. These pregnant cows then abort their fetus. The

misdiagnosed cow loses milk and calf production,

ultimately affecting the owner's net income.

What are the total costs to the herd owner?

Inaccurate results from rectal palpation cost a minumum of

$2.00 per cow tested, with a maximum of $10.50 per cow

tested.

For the purposes of this savings worksheet BioTracking uses

the conservative estimate of $2.00 per cow tested.

They do not reduce the test value for 5% false positives.

BioPryn

BioPryn vs Realistic cost/value of

transrectal pregnancy diagnosis


Do a pregnancy diagnosis test

• Open cows 31 days since bred start

ovsynch if have proper ovarian

structures.

• Next week reexamine them before the

PGF2a shot.

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How do PAG tests compare?

• Per BioPryn calculator there is a $6.15

variance between their value and a

realistic one ie $4.53 vs -$1.62.

• At this time the veterinarians could

increase or have $1.62 more cost per

cow and be on par.

• Likely the error rate are maybe/should

be similar.


Value of PAG tests to a

veterinary practice

- Service for those clients that do not

want veterinary physical diagnosis.

- Better than lay palpators maybe

- Contact with clients

- Sell other consulting services

- CPR for pharmaceutical sales-this may have a

short term future though.


Cost of PAG tests to a

veterinary practice

- Lost reproductive service revenue

- Loss of clients due to others chemical

test service.

- Price should come down and tends to

set a limit on the charges for

reproductive exams and even farm

calls.


Physical Pregnancy diagnosis

value to the veterinarian

• 50-99% of the practice revenue.

• Client contact

• Practice/Technology evolution

• Veterinarian of record for

pharmaceutical sales

– Pharmaceutical sales revenue 0-50% of

practice revenue.


How do PAG tests compare?

• Added values of physical diagnoses

instant complete information

– Is this a good pregnancy

– Doing an open exam not a preg check.

• Why is cow open

– Uterine health

– Ovarian function

– Reproductive history

» Multiple services

» Abortions

» Health history issues Aalseth Dairy Consulting

Veterinary practice ways to

compete with PAG tests

- Reduce farm call charges/reduce

travel/support/overhead costs

- Increase cows per hour-organize herd

check better, use ultrasound.

- Deliver more information/value to the

client with respect to reproduction.

- Provide more client value overall dairy

management-time equity investment

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- Bring more value to reproduction.

- “Doc how many more times do we have

to ovsynch this cow and still have her

open?”

- Need to avoid the open ovsynch

approach

- Become and extreme theriogenologist

with a passion for open cows. Aalseth Dairy Consulting



- Are you doing post partum prebreeding

exams for uterine health or ovarian

function?

- Do you deal with uterine health from an

ovarian/estrus opportunity?

- Better yet do you set up reproduction

with good transition programs,

especially fresh cow programs?



compete with PAG tests - How do you solve post partum uterine

health-try 12 and 26 and maybe 40 DIM

PGF2a.

- These can be presynch shots or set up

for cherry picking based on heat

breedings.

- Look for at least 1 cycle prebreeding

- At least one round of heat based

breedings gives you the best monitor of

inseminator quality. Aalseth Dairy Consulting


compete with PAG tests - How do you start ovsynch? After

presynch,resynch or cold?

- Can confirm ovsynchabilty at start and/or

at PGF2a for estrus/ovulation. Best to start

on a CL and finish on a CL. Are follicles

primed? Has there been a CL?

- Do true 56 hour ovsynch

- If fertility is low-confirm ovulation failure

at 96 hours.



compete with PAG tests - What would you do if no CL?

- Use CIDR synch but skip the breeding.

- Use HCG 2000 IU to convert 8 mm

follicles to CL’s. 7 days later start ovsynch

or PGF2a for a heat.

- What would you do if cystic?

- Cystic synch ie start ovsynch with PGF2a and

GnRH almost normal fertility

- Or CIDR synch

- Or HCG and PGF2a-in 7 days PGF2a and

breed in heat. Aalseth Dairy Consulting


compete with PAG tests - Conclusion: PAG pregnancy tests can

have some value under limited

circumstances.

- Better reproduction can be attained with

open cow exams, detection and

resolution of dysfunctional cows.

Ovsynch if used is based on normally

functioning cows.

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compete with PAG tests - Conclusion:

- Heat based breeding is a great way to filter

out dysfunctional cows

- Drug and semen use can decline

- Try coordinated breeding: all open cows are

PGF2a once a week, 7 days later all non heat

cows 2000 IU HCG, 7 days later these HCG

cows get PGF2a for heat or if necessary start

ovsynch. Verify response at start and/or end of

7 day cycle.





Heat based coordinated breeding


Heat based coordinated breeding

Aalseth Dairy Consulting Aalseth Dairy Consulting

11/17/2012

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To Calve report


7 day preg rates 12 % average


Value of veterinary intervention


Final thoughts • Very hard to advise dairies if you do

not touch the cows.

• Cannot solve fertility issues and

maintain reproductive performance

without examining cows. Endocrine

data today?

• Physical exams are the least costly and

return the most value if properly done.

• Simply cows are complex biological not

simple mechanical entities


Aalseth herd check

events/decisions

• Short bred cows less than 7 days treated

for static/cystic conditions with 2000 IU

HCG.

• Short bred cows over 7 days

– Small CL HCG

– No structures/rupture cysts no chance of

luteal tissue –open treated HCG PGF2a in

7 days.


Aalseth herd check

events/decisions

-Open cystic cows get PGF2a and HCG

with PGF2a in 7 days –used to be cystic

synch

- Cows that got HCG 7 days ago with

good CL and follicle-PGF2a for heat or

synch. Synch might be better but heat

bred

11/17/2012

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Aalseth herd check

events/decisions

-All pyometra cows not due for 12, 26 or

40 DIM PGF2a are treated for static or

cystic conditions or PGF2a to be repeated

in 14 days. All HCG treatments are

PGF2a in 7 days.

- Record CL number and relative size.

- Record static and cystic cows.

- All mushy pregnancies-open PGF2a to

be repeated in 14 days. Aalseth Dairy Consulting

Aalseth herd check concerns

-What is best VWP ->70DIM

-When to PGF2a a static or cystic cow-7

or 14 days for best uterine health.

-Should we skip a heat and allow a

normal cycle on static or cystic cows?

-is 7 days after HCG the best time for

PGF2a?

-When to give up on a cow-220DIM?


Aalseth herd check concerns

-Can we do any better with ultrasound?

-What happens if we lose HCG?

-Will synthetic bovine LH come into

production?

-How can we best use CIDR?

- Can cows become refractory to HCG?

Documents

4th alternative pregnancy tests 10.26.12 - OABP Education/2012/Fall/EA 2.pdfDG29 is an easy-to-use bovine blood pregnancy test. Blood samples are drawn from cattle on the farm or ranch,