Acta Univ. Agric. Silvic. Mendelianae Brun. 2019, 67(4), 957-961 | DOI: 10.11118/actaun201967040957

Measurement of the Mammary Gland Cistern of Dairy Ewes

Pavol Makovický¹, Melinda Nagy¹, Milan Margetín^2,3, Janka Poráčová⁴, Michal Milerski⁵, Peter Makovický⁶

¹ Department of Biology, J. Selye University, Hradná 21, 94501 Komárno, Slovakia

² Department of Animal Production, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Trieda Andreja Hlinku 2, 94976 Nitra, Slovakia

³ National Agricultural and Food Centre, Research Institute for Animal Production Nitra, Hlohovecká 2, 95141 Lužianky, Slovakia

⁴ University of Prešov, Faculty of Humanities and Natural Sciences, Department of Biology, Ul. 17 novembra 1, 08116 Prešov, Slovakia

⁵ Research Institute of Animal Production, Přátelství 107, 104 00 Prague 22-Uhříněves, Czech Republic

⁶ Laboratory of Veterinary Histopathology in Komárno, Mila Urbana 7, 945 01 Komárno, Slovakia

At the 3^rd and 5^th month of lactation, using the ALOKA-250 ultrasonograph with a 3.5 MHz probe, the udder cistern size of the breed Improved Valachian (IV) and the crossbreed IV x Lacaune (IV x LC) was surveyed. Using the method from side 72 ewes were measured, in which the probe was placed in the inguinal-abdominal fold. Variance analysis was used to evaluate the obtained data (length, width and udder cistern area), taking into account the effect of the genotype, stage of lactation and lactation order. The average length, width and area of the left udder cistern (LUC) was 80.72 mm; 33.53 mm and 1907 mm²; for the right udder cistern (RUC) 79.44 mm; 33.01 mm and 1851 mm². The genotype had a statistically significant effect on the LUC as well as the RUC size (P < 0.05 to 0.001). The LUC area of the IV x LC ewes was 32.7% bigger than at IV (2175 mm² and 1639 mm², respectively), and the difference of the RUC was up to 51% in favour of the crossbreed (2227 mm² and 1475 mm², respectively). This may be due to laterality, the natural asymmetry found in many mammals. The variability in the observed variables of the left and right udder cisterns was greater in crossbreeds than in the purebred IV ewes.

Keywords: ewes, lactation, udder cistern, ultrasonographic technique, from side method, genotype effect

Grants and funding:

This work was supported by the project KEGA, Project No. 018PU-4/2018 Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic.

Received: March 26, 2019; Accepted: May 24, 2019; Published: August 26, 2019  Show citation