Jong Anthony Deng¹*, Ambrose Samuel Jubara² , Erneo Bernardo Ochi³, Lewis Khamis Jaja⁴ and Mergani Abdalla Mohamed⁵

¹Lecturer of Theriogenology, Department of Clinical Studies, College of veterinary Science, University of Bharel Ghazal
²Professor of Gynecology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Upper Nile
³Professor of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Science, University of Bhar El-Ghazal
⁴Professor of Pathology , School of Veterinary Medicine-University of Juba
⁵Professor of obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Medicine, University of Juba

*Corresponding Author: Jong Anthony Deng, Lecturer of Theriogenology, Department of Clinical Studies, College of veterinary Science, university of Bhar el Ghazal.

Received: August 19, 2025; Published: August 30, 2025

Abstract

This research aimed to evaluate the relationship between gestational age and the measurements of Biparietal Diameter and Head Circumference via transabdominal ultrasonography in Nilotic goats. The study was conducted at the Egyptian Coptic Church facility, where a shelter was constructed for this research in Munuki Payam, Central Equatoria State. A total of twenty-four Nilotic goats: thirteen nulliparous and eleven multiparous, aged 1-4 years and weighing 12-33 kg were used. Estrus synchronization was conducted using intravaginal sponges impregnated with 20mg of Cronolone controlled-release device for sheep and goats. The sponges were followed with a dose of 2ml of estrumate after 12 days and goats came into estrus with 36-48 hours. Ultrasonographic examinations were performed using a 3.5-5MHz transducer from weeks 6 to 14 of pregnancy to measure the Biparietal Diameter, Head Circumference. The results demonstrated a highly significant relationship between gestational age, Biparietal Diameter, and Head Circumference, with R² = 0.9967 for BPD and R² = 0.9964 for HC. The study concluded that, gestational age of Nilotic goats can accurately be estimated by transabdominal ultrasonography measuring Biparietal Diameter and Head Circumference during the second trimester of pregnancy.

Keywords: Ultrasonographic; Gestational Age; Nilotic Goats; Biparietal Diameter; Head Circumference

References

1. Morand F. “Proposal for improving the research efficiency in goats”. Small Ruminant Research 2 (2004): 145-153.
2. Ministry of Animal Resources and Fisheries (MARF). “Government’s comprehensive agricultural master development plan” (2015).
3. Muchina JN. “On the application of credibility theory and GLMS (Doctoral dissertation, University of Nairobi) (2013).
4. Wilson RT. “Small ruminant production and the small ruminant genetic resource in tropical Africa”. Food and Agriculture 88 (1991).
5. Yotov S., et al. “Early pregnancy diagnosis and examination of embryofetal growth in the local ovine breed”. Bulgarian Journal of Agricultural Science 11 (2005): 119.
6. Ali A and Hayder M. “Early pregnancy diagnosis in goats by ultrasonographic examination”. Pakistan Veterinary Journal2 (2007): 96-98.
7. Anwar M., et al. “Use of ultrasonography for pregnancy diagnosis in Balkhi sheep”. Pakistan Veterinary Journal 3 (2008): 144-146.
8. Suguna K., et al. “Early pregnancy diagnosis and embryonic and fetal development using real-time B-mode ultrasound in goats”. Small Ruminant Research 80 (2008): 80-86.
9. Ishwar AK. “Pregnancy diagnosis in sheep and goats”. Small Ruminant Research 17 (1995): 37-44.
10. Noakes D., et al. “Dystocia and other disorders associated with parturition. In D. E. Noakes, T. J. Parkinson, and G. C. W. England (Eds.), Veterinary reproduction and obstetrics 9^th edition (2009): 207-305.
11. Oral H., et al. “Determination of gestational age by measuring fetal heart diameter with transrectal ultrasonograph in sheep”. Medycyna Weterynaryjna 63 (2007): 1558-1560.
12. Wright IA., et al. “Prediction of calving date in beef cows by real-time ultrasonic scanning”. Veterinary Record 23 (1988): 228.
13. Lindahl IL. “Detection of pregnancy in sheep by means of ultrasound”. Nature5062 (1966): 642-643.
14. Lamb C., et al. “The first twenty-one years of veterinary diagnostic ultrasound: A bibliography”. Veterinary Radiology 29 (1988): 37-45.
15. Serin G., et al. “Umbilical artery Doppler sonography in Saanen goat fetuses during singleton and multiple pregnancies”. Theriogenology 74 (2010): 1082-1087.
16. Gonzalez-Bulnes A., et al. “Estimation of fetal development in Manchega dairy ewes by transrectal ultrasonographic measurements”. Small Ruminant Research 27 (1998): 243-250.
17. Scott PR and Gessert ME. “Application of ultrasonographic examination of the ovine fetus in normal sheep and those presenting with obstetrical problems”. Veterinary Journal 3 (2000): 291-292.
18. Sivachelvan MN., et al. “Foetal age estimation in sheep and goats”. Small Ruminant Research 80 (1996): 80-86.
19. AL-Rawi HM. “Clinical uses of ultrasonic technique in reproductive management in ewes (PhD thesis). College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Baghdad (2005).
20. Medan MS and Abd El-Aty AM. “Advances in ultrasonography and its application in domestic ruminants and other farm animal reproduction”. Journal of Advanced Research2 (2010): 123-128.
21. Gonzales-Bulnes A., et al. “Ultrasonographic imaging in small ruminant reproduction”. Reproduction in Domestic Animals 45 (2010): 9-20.
22. Sergeev I., et al. “Realtime ultrasound imaging for predicting ovine fetal age”. Theriogenology 34 (1990): 593-601.
23. Reichle JK and Haibel GK. “Ultrasonic biparietal diameter of second-trimester pygmy goat foetuses”. Theriogenology4 (1991): 689-694.
24. Adeyinka FD., et al. “Association between placenta size, measured using transrectal ultrasonography, and gestational age in cattle”. New Zealand Veterinary Journal 2 (2014): 51-56.
25. Petrujkic BT., et al. “Transabdominal and transrectal ultrasonography of fetuses in Wurttemberg ewes: Correlation with gestational age”. Animal Science Journal 87 (2016): 197-201.
26. Bretzlaff K., et al. “Ultrasonographic determination of pregnancy in small ruminants”. Veterinary Medicine 88 (1993): 12-24.
27. Doizé F., et al. “Determination of gestational age in sheep and goats using transrectal ultrasonographic measurements of placentomes”. Theriogenology 48 (1997): 449-460.
28. Mukasa ME., et al. “Productivity of indigenous sheep and goats in the Ada District of the Ethiopian Highlands”. Ethiopian Journal of Agricultural Sciences1 (1986): 27-48.
29. Aban AS., et al. “Research Article Subsequent Fertility of Goats with Prenatal Mortality Diagnosed by Ultrasound and Treated by PGF 2𝛼 and Oxytetracycline”. Veterinary Medicine International (2017).
30. Kähn W. “Ultrasonography in sheep and goats. In W. Kähn (Ed.), Veterinary reproductive ultrasonography (pp. 187-210). Schlütersche Verlagsgesellschaft (2004).
31. Roy RN. “Reproductive biology and kidding performance of Jamunapari goats”. Indian Journal of Animal Sciences4 (1991): 325-328.
32. Mahima Sophia M., et al. “Anatomy, Panimalar Medical College Hospital and Research Institute, Chennai, IND 2. Anatomy, Saveetha Medical College, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai, IND 15.6 (2023): e41172.
33. Amer HA. “Ultrasonographic assessment of early pregnancy diagnosis, fetometry, and sex determination in goats”. Animal Reproduction Science4 (2010): 226-231.
34. Leibovitz Z., et al. “Prediction of microcephaly at birth using three reference ranges for fetal head circumference: can we improve prenatal diagnosis?” Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 47 (2016): 586-592. 
35. Abdelghafar RM., et al. “Crown-rump length and bi-parietal diameter to predict gestational age in Saanen goats”. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances3 (2007a): 454-457.
36. Griffin PG and Ginther OJ. “Research applications of ultrasonic imaging in reproductive biology”. Journal of Animal Science 70 (1992): 953-972.
37. Abubakar F., et al. “Accuracy of transrectal ultrasonography in estimating the gestational age of Jamnapari goats”. Malaysian Applied Biology1 (2016): 49-54.
38. Haibel GK and Lidl GM. “Relationship between ultrasonic fetal head measurements and gestational age in sheep and goats”. Theriogenology 6 (1989): 1051-1057.
39. Haibel GK. “Use of ultrasonography in reproductive management of sheep and goats' herds”. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Food Animal Practice3 (1990): 597-613.
40. Nwaogu IC., et al. “Estimation of foetal age using ultrasonic measurements of different fetal parameters in red Sokoto goats (Capra hircus)”. Veterinarski Arhiv2 (2010): 225-233.
41. Kandiel MM., et al. “Ultrasonographic fetal biparietal diameter and its relationship with gestational age in Indian crossbred goats”. Small Ruminant Research 124 (2015): 116-120.
42. Suguna K., et al. “Early pregnancy diagnosis and embryonic and fetal development using real-time B-mode ultrasound in goats”. Small Ruminant Research 80 (2008): 80-86.
43. Kancharla J., et al. “Gestational age estimation and validation using ultrasonic measurements of fetal biparietal diameter and occipito-nasal length in Nellore Brown ewes. Journal of Animal Research 11.2 (2021): 325-331.
44. Ahmed ME., et al. “Ultrasound foetometry in Egyptian sheep and goats: Predicting gestational age using biparietal diameter”. Journal of Veterinary Science and Technology4 (2021): 345-351.
45. Reichle JK and Haibel GK. “Ultrasonic biparietal diameter of second-trimester pygmy goat foetuses”. Theriogenology4 (1991): 689-694.
46. Yaseen MA., et al. “Assessment of gestational age in goats using real-time ultrasound bi-parietal diameter measurement”. International Journal of Veterinary Science and Medicine 2 (2017): 101-106.
47. Abdelghafar RM., et al. “Prediction of gestational age by transabdominal real-time ultrasonographic measurements in Saanen goats (Capra hircus)”. Global Veterinaria4 (2011): 346-351.
48. Karen AM., et al. “Estimation of gestational age in Egyptian native goats by ultrasonographic fetometry”. Animal Reproduction Science1-3 (2009): 167-174.
49. Nwaogu IC., et al. “Estimation of foetal age using ultrasonic measurements of different fetal parameters in red Sokoto goats (Capra hircus)”. Veterinarski Arhiv2 (2010): 225-233.
50. Sergeev I., et al. “Realtime ultrasound imaging for predicting ovine fetal age”. Theriogenology 34 (1990): 593-601.
51. Aiumlamai S., et al. “Real-time ultrasonography for determining the gestational age of ewes”. Veterinary Record 12 (1992): 560-562.
52. Metodiev S., et al. “Use of biparietal diameter in estimating gestational age in sheep during early pregnancy”. Bulgarian Journal of Veterinary Medicine3 (2012): 198-203.
53. Lubusky M., et al. “Discrepancy in ultrasound biometric parameters of the head (hc-head circumference, bpd-biparietal diameter) in breech presented fetuses. Biomedical Papers of the Medical Faculty of Palacky University in Olomouc 151.2 (2007).

Citation

Citation: Jong Anthony Deng. “Ultrasonographic Estimation of Gestational Age in Nilotic Goats Using Biparietal Diameter and Head Circumference".Acta Scientific Veterinary Sciences 7.9 (2025): 38-47.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2025 Jong Anthony Deng. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.