Friday, March 6, 2015

BioPRYN blood pregnancy test

Today we collected blood samples from cows and heifers that were artificially inseminated in December. We are sending the samples off to Bio Preg Check to see if these cattle are bred or open. This pregnancy checking method uses the BioPRYN blood pregnancy test for cattle.

We collect a 2cc sample of blood from each animal, label it, and send it off the the Bio Preg Check lab. We draw this blood from the tail vein in cattle. I left up the tail and use a syringe and needle to draw the blood about 3 to 6 inches down the vein. The tail vein runs down the underside of the animal's tail, and is the easiest place to draw the blood in cattle.

Once the folks at Bio Preg Check get our samples the are testing for the presence of Pregnancy-Specific Protein B (PSPB). This protein is produced by the placenta of the growing fetus inside the cow. The presence of PSPB indicates that the animal has a fetus inside of her, and is obiviously bred. If PSPB is not detected then the animal is open.

The procedure can be preformed as little as 28 days post breeding, and 34 days after an embryo has been implanted into a female. The Bio Preg Check folks provide 4 options for results, you can have them delivered in the mail, by fax, over the phone, or emailed to you.

 The test itself takes 27 hours to preform. We get results the next day if the lab receives our samples before noon, and the day after if the samples arrive after noon.

The test is 97% accurate and cost us $2.75 per animal. We choose to pregnancy test animals using the Bio Preg Check test as opposed to palpating them because the blood test (1) is far more accurate, (2) the test can be preformed much earlier in the pregnancy and open animals can be detected sooner, and (3) has a much lower risk of causing the animal to abort.


You can learn more about the Bio Preg Check test by visiting their website: http://www.biopregcheck.com/

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