CowPreg pregnancy test

Bizzum

Anybody here use these CowPreg pregnancy test strips?
Any feedback on them?

pakalasa

I saw the add in the Journal alright but there was no contact details, webpage or even the company or product name.

On a similar topic - anyone here know how to palpate a cow for pregnancy. I've seen my vet do it alright, but it seems that farmers in the USA do it regularly themselves.

Bizzum

It was a website I seen them on.
Progesterone level in the milk sample. Not much use for a dry cow or maiden heifer, but a cow in milk would be the target. Only takes 5 mins, Result accurate 20 days after service, according to their ad.
And I think €4.50 per test.
Could have a place in the meds cabinet.......

pakalasa

Found the site.
€40.50 per pack of 10.
Anyone use them?
http://www.moreway.ie/cowpreg.html



Eh, they do the quick attach hitch too;
http://www.moreway.ie/Quick%20attach.html

Bizzum

Yeah thats the site I seen them on.
Even cheaper than I thought.
Curosity is getting the better of me. I may get a box to try!

sh1tstirrer

€4.50 sounds dear for a strip of paper. Timing of the test is important as well.

Bizzum

Its not just a strip of paper though.

sh1tstirrer

Of course there is more than a strip of paper its still expensive.

Bizzum

I know very little about them.
But I know this:
I would spend €4 odd, to diagnose a pregnant cow.

Feargal as Luimneach

pakalasa wrote: »

I saw the add in the Journal alright but there was no contact details, webpage or even the company or product name.

On a similar topic - anyone here know how to palpate a cow for pregnancy. I've seen my vet do it alright, but it seems that farmers in the USA do it regularly themselves.

Pregnancy diagnosis (PD) in cow is just a matter of practice. The rectum of a cow/heifer is quite study so damage done on a rectal exam is very rare (unlike the horse). To PD a cow you first have to be familar with the non-gravid uterus/gravid uterus. If you are on the kill-line in the factory, you can feel different uteri at different stages of gestation (good practice).
When you PD a non-pregnant uterus you will feel the body of the uterus and further up the bifurcation which leads to the two uterine horns. The ovaries are at the tips of the uterine horns (again the uterus in the factory will give you a good idea of the anatomy).
In eary pregnancy (<1 month) PD is inaccurate IMO.
At 2.5-3monthe you will feel "membrane slip", ie the fluid in the uterus. Uterus has less tone than non-gravid uterus
At >3 monthe you will feel placentomes (buttons on cleanings), you can often feel the foetus.
In latter stages of pregnancy you can often feel crubín of the calf. Beware often at 6-7months the calf will be deep in the abdomen and won't be palpable.
In late pregnancy (8-9months) the calf will often be palpable in the pelvis.

It's better getting somebody to show you what stages of pregnancy you are palpating otherwise it can be difficult knowing what you are palpating when you are starting off.

sh1tstirrer

Bizzum wrote: »

I know very little about them.
But I know this:
I would spend €4 odd, to diagnose a pregnant cow.

What about if you had 100 cows €450 you could get them scanned for that.

Bizzum

Like I said, I,d pay €4 to diagnose a pregnancy.

LostCovey

Feargal as Luimneach wrote: »

Pregnancy diagnosis (PD) in cow is just a matter of practice. The rectum of a cow/heifer is quite study so damage done on a rectal exam is very rare (unlike the horse). To PD a cow you first have to be familar with the non-gravid uterus/gravid uterus. If you are on the kill-line in the factory, you can feel different uteri at different stages of gestation (good practice).
When you PD a non-pregnant uterus you will feel the body of the uterus and further up the bifurcation which leads to the two uterine horns. The ovaries are at the tips of the uterine horns (again the uterus in the factory will give you a good idea of the anatomy).
In eary pregnancy (<1 month) PD is inaccurate IMO.
At 2.5-3monthe you will feel "membrane slip", ie the fluid in the uterus. Uterus has less tone than non-gravid uterus
At >3 monthe you will feel placentomes (buttons on cleanings), you can often feel the foetus.
In latter stages of pregnancy you can often feel crubín of the calf. Beware often at 6-7months the calf will be deep in the abdomen and won't be palpable.
In late pregnancy (8-9months) the calf will often be palpable in the pelvis.

It's better getting somebody to show you what stages of pregnancy you are palpating otherwise it can be difficult knowing what you are palpating when you are starting off.

Sounds easy Feargal, can anyone just try their hand (forgive me, couldn't resist it).

Seriously that sounds dead simple, why would anyone pay a vet?

LC

whelan1

Bizzum wrote: »

It was a website I seen them on.
Progesterone level in the milk sample. Not much use for a dry cow or maiden heifer, but a cow in milk would be the target. Only takes 5 mins, Result accurate 20 days after service, according to their ad.
And I think €4.50 per test.
Could have a place in the meds cabinet.......

cheaper than the human ones , unless you're buying on ebay:rolleyes:

Feargal as Luimneach

LostCovey wrote: »

Sounds easy Feargal, can anyone just try their hand (forgive me, couldn't resist it).

Seriously that sounds dead simple, why would anyone pay a vet?

LC

Not that easy all the time I'm afraid. In early stage pregnancy (<2 months) it can be difficult to determine pregnancy status. Also multiparous cows can have large uteri in the nongravid state so you could confuse them as being pregnant. Practice makes perfect though.

Bizzum

whelan1 wrote: »

cheaper than the human ones , unless you're buying on ebay:rolleyes:

And much more discreet than getting the scanner in to do it!

LostCovey

Feargal as Luimneach wrote: »

Not that easy all the time I'm afraid. In early stage pregnancy (<2 months) it can be difficult to determine pregnancy status. Also multiparous cows can have large uteri in the nongravid state so you could confuse them as being pregnant. Practice makes perfect though.

Fascinating, must have a go.

I was sure you had to be a vet to do it.

LC

pakalasa

Yep, it would be a great skill to have (palpation). I would be afraid that you could abort the feotus if you handled it too early.

Surprised it never became common here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yR-mmhRytVw

taurus1971

Got my cows scanned with South Tipperary Farm Relief Services for only €3 a cow. Better value than that detection strip.

whelan1

some how , i think i would prefer to see the calf on screen than trust a piece of paper

bogman_bass

it would be handy if you had one cow/heifer that you werent sure of and rather than pay out a call out fee it would be useful

reilig

whelan1 wrote: »

some how , i think i would prefer to see the calf on screen than trust a piece of paper

True. I had 50 cows scanned a few weeks ago for €120. He was also able to tell me how many days each cow was gone so I have approximate dates for them - that's as valuable as knowing that they are in calf.

Feargal as Luimneach

LostCovey wrote: »

Fascinating, must have a go.

I was sure you had to be a vet to do it.

LC

Just remember that other viscera are also present that you will palpate per rectum (bladder, rumen, small intestines, kidney). That's why it would be prudent to have somebody there to instruct you. The next time your vet is out you could ask him to show you, otherwise you might be palpating intestine and you might be think your palpating membrane slip.