Prediction of reproductive status by a simple, non-invasive and applicable procedure is greatly desirable. Saliva sampling is a simple and low-cost process. The purpose of this study was to assess the value of saliva crystallization patterns (SCP) for the prediction of pregnancy in buffalo cows. A total number of 160 saliva samples were collected from twenty buffaloes from Day 0 to 45 post-breeding. The following types of crystallization have been discriminated; none, dotted, branch-like, fir-like, fern-like and mixtures of them. Pregnancy was affirmed ultrasonographically at 25-30 days after breeding. Accordingly, the animals were allotted into pregnant (n=12) and non-pregnant (n=8) groups. Saliva crystallization patterns varied during the post-insemination
period between pregnant and non-pregnant animals. The peak incidence of the saliva ferning patterns mainly branch-like pattern at Days 20-25 and 28, and the fern-like pattern at days 15-28 post-breeding could be used as an indicator for pregnant and nonpregnant buffaloes, respectively. In conclusion, SCP is a non-invasive promising diagnostic technique could help to verify early pregnancy at 15-28 days and to reduce the number of the opened buffalo cows. |
