Gemini Gases

Early diagnosis of pregnancy is of great importance in modern animal industry due to the high cost of feed and labor, as well as to realize the maximum life-time production of dairy cows. Especially after artificial insemination is widely used, the earlier the pregnancy is determined, the earlier feeding plans will be performed. Dairy cows need to become pregnant after insemination, carry the conceptus till term, deliver healthy calves and produce milk regularly in order to make dairy farming economically viable and profitable. The general methodology to determine bovine pregnancy is by observation or B-mode ultrasound scanners, either of which is not quite economic in small or middle size farms.

Gestation length ranges from 279 to 287 days. For most breeds, 283 days would be common. Cows carrying bull calves tend to have a slightly longer gestation compared to cows carrying heifer calves. To monitor the pregnancy status, pregnancy associated glycoproteins are widely used as marker protein.

The current bovine pregnancy rapid test kit utilizes the high affinity of monoclonal antibody against the pregnancy associated glycoproteins in bovine whole blood, plasma and serum, which can easily identify the concentration and presence of it. If the concentration is above certain number, the cow will be pregnant and if not, the cow will not be pregnant. Further measurements such as breeding, or AI shall be performed.