Comparison of ultrasonography, progesterone assay, ballottement, and non‐return‐to‐heat with digital rectal palpation technique for early pregnancy diagnosis in Red Sokoto goat.

The objective of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the digital rectal palpation (DRP) technique for early pregnancy diagnosis and to compare the results of experiments I and II in the Red Sokoto goat. Experiment I had 68 goats with 52 does and 16 bucks. Does were divided into prostaglandin F2‐alpha (PGF2α; n = 18), progesterone pessaries (P4P; n = 18), and Control (n = 16) groups as oestrus synchronizaton methods. Bucks were used for oestrus detection (n = 6) and breeding (n = 10). Comparative pregnancy diagnosis was carried out on day 21 post‐breeding using ultrasonography (US), DRP, progesterone assay (PA), ballottement (BL), and non‐return‐to‐heat (NRH). Experiment II was a repeat but had 51 animals with 42 does and nine bucks; three bucks for oestrus detection and six for breeding. Does were divided into recto‐vaginal artificial insemination (AI) by DRP (n = 14), vaginal speculum AI (n = 14), and Control‐natural service (n = 14) groups, indicating breeding methods. Oestrus was synchronized with PGF2α and pregnancy diagnosis was carried out on day 21 using US, DRP, PA, and NRH. The results for both experiments were similar. Pregnancy rates for PGF2α group were 66.2%, 66.7%, 64.8%, 62.1%, and 63.0% for US, DRP, PA, BL, and NRH, respectively; P4P had 81.5%, 81.5%, 42.6%, 20.3%, and 42.6% for US, DRP, PA, BL, and NRH, respectively; while Control was 73.6%, 79.2%, 70.9%, 73.6%, and 73.6% for US, DRP, PA, BL, and NRH, respectively. Proportions are significantly (p <.000) different in the P4P group. It was concluded that the DRP technique was effective and consistent in early pregnancy diagnosis on day 21 and comparable to US, PA, BL, and non‐return‐to‐oestrus in both experiments in Red Sokoto goat does. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]