Pseudopregnancy in Murciano-Granadina dairy goats in Iran: prevalence, risk factors and treatment

This study was conducted in a large industrial Murciano-Granadina dairy goat farm, aiming to investigate prevalence, risk factors and cure rate of pseudopregnancy. Bred does (N = 1310) were examined by ultrasonography, around 40 days after exposure to bucks. The relationships between age, parity, milk production, season, and prevalence of pseudopregnancy were analyzed. In the second part of the study, two groups of affected does (n = 12) were treated by two intramuscular injections of cloprostenol sodium (100 µg per animal, i.m.) 11 days apart, or received the same treatment regimen together with procaine penicillin (20000 IU/kg) and dihydrostreptomycin (20 mg/kg) for three consecutive days, from the time of diagnosis. The prevalence of pseudopregnancy was 9%. The average age of the diseased goats was higher (P = 0.05) compared to non-affected does. The prevalence of pseudopregnancy varied between different age groups (P = 0.0003) and parities (P < 0.0001). A different prevalence of pseudopregnancy was found between different milk production groups (P < 0.0001). Comparing milk production between normal and diseased does showed tended significance, (P = 0.07). The prevalence of pseudopregnancy was similar in and out of the breeding season. Moreover, the cure rate in the first and second treatment group was 66.8% (8/12), and 75% (9/12), respectively (P = 0.6). In conclusion, despite higher prevalence of pseudopregnancy in certain ages and milk production groups, no significant trend by increasing age and milk production group was found. Moreover, adding antibiotic to prostaglandin treatment regimen, failed to significantly improve cure rate and post treatment pregnancy rate.