Apart from the reliable but invasive rectal palpation technique, or the expensive ELISA assay test, you can do affordable urine tests to confirm pregnancy. Ideal for everyone from farmers to vets, these non-invasive inexpensive tests use simple ingredients for fast, reliable results.
Seed Bio-assay Method: Utilizes natural seed components for accurate detection, primarily used for cows & she-buffaloes.
Barium Chloride Test: Offers quick results with minimal fuss, primarily used for cows & she-buffaloes.
Cuboni Test: A time-tested method known for its reliability, primarily used for mares.
Seed Bio-assay Method for Pregnancy Detection in Animals
Principle: Germination of wheat / barley is prevented by four-fold rise in concentration of Abscicic acid in the pregnant animals. It induces dormancy in seeds.
Use: This method is primarily used for pregnancy diagnosis both in cows and she-buffaloes.
Method:
The urine is collected and diluted four times with distilled water.
Two petri-dishes are taken and filter papers are placed in it.
About 15-20 wheat seeds are kept in each petri-dish.
About 10-15 ml. of the above diluted urine sample is added to one petri-dish, while in other petri-dish only water is added (control).
Cover the petri-dishes to prevent evaporation and keep for 5 days.
Interpretation:
Pregnant: No germination and turn black or if germinate but shoots are less than 1 cm in length.
Non-pregnant: 35-60% germination with moderate shoot length (around 4 cm.)
Controlled petri-dish: 60-80% germination and shoot length is about 6 cm.
Barium Chloride Test for Pregnancy Diagnosis in Animals
Principle: After metabolism of Progesterone in the Liver, the end products are present in the urine which prevents the precipitation of the Barium Chloride, on the contrary Estrogen favors precipitation.
Use: This method is primarily used for pregnancy diagnosis both in cows and she-buffaloes.
Method:
Take 5 ml of urine in a test tube.
Add 5-6 drops of 1% barium chloride solution and mix well.
Interpretation:
Pregnant: No precipitation
Non-pregnant: Clear white precipitation
Advantage:
Pregnancy can be diagnosed even at 3 to 4 weeks of gestation.
The accuracy is > 90%
Limitation:
When Estrogens in urine are of plant origin, it may give wrong.
Presence of persistent corpus luteum and corpus luteum of pregnancy up to some days after parturition give false positive result.
Cuboni Test for Pregnancy Diagnosis in Animals
Principle: The urine is hydrolyzed with HCl, and benzene is added for the extraction of Estrogen from hydrolyzed urine.
Use: This test is used for pregnancy diagnosis in mare. This test involves the detection of Estrogen in the urine of mare and can be performed after 150 days of conception
Method:
Take 15 ml urine in a test tube and add to it 3 ml conc. HCl.
Heat the mixture in a water bath at boiling point for 10 minutes
Cool down the mixture
Pour the mixture into a separating funnel and add to it 18 ml Benzol and shake well.
Collect the Benzol layer in an other test tube and add to it 10 ml conc. H2SO4
Heat the mixture at 80°C for 5 minutes and cool down.
Interpretation:
Pregnant: Green fluorescence
Non-pregnant: No color
Bonus: Sodium Hydroxide Test (using cervical mucus)
Principle: Sodium Hydroxide changes the color of the cervical mucus sample in pregnant cows. It has a reliability result of 80-90%.
Use: This test is used for pregnancy diagnosis in cattle and she-buffalo.
Method:
Take 0.25 ml of cervical mucus in a test tube.
Add 5 ml of 10% NaOH solution.
Heat it till boiling.
Interpretation:
Pregnant: Orange color
Non-pregnant: Pale color
