Ultrasonography for detection of pregnancy and study of embryonic development in heifers.

Real-time B-mode ultrasonography was used to evaluate uterine changes associated with the estrous cycle in 22 ovulatory periods in 12 nulliparous heifers. Irregular, nonechogenic (black) areas were seen on the images of uterine horns during the periovulatory period. These nonechogenic areas were presumably due to intraluminal fluids since they coincided with the discharge of clear, viscous mucus preceding ovulation and blood-tinged mucus after ovulation. Eight heifers were bred until five pregnant heifers were obtained for study of the ultrasonic morphology of the conceptus. Ultrasound examinations were done daily to day 50 of pregnancy. Discrete, nonechogenic areas were first visible within the uterus between days 12 and 14, when they were approximately 2 mm in diameter. These discrete nonechogenic structures were identified as the embryonic vesicle, since they were observed only in heifers later confirmed to be pregnant and were always in the uterine horn ipsilateral to the corpus luteum. The presence of an embryo within the embryonic vesicle was confirmed by observing an echogenic (white) area with rhythmic pulsations (heartbeat). The embryonic vesicle gradually increased in length from the day of first observation until day 26 when it extended past the curvature of the horn and began to encroach into the contralateral horn. In all heifers, by day 32 the vesicle extended to the tip of the contralateral horn. The embryo was first visible between days 26 and 29 when the mean length was 10 mm. The embryo increased in length an average of 1.1 mm per day. A heartbeat was detectable in the embryo on the first day observed. In one superovulated heifer, five vesicles were visible in the uterine horns by day 14 and by day 33 seven embryos were observed; two of the seven embryos apparently resorbed by day 43.