Ultrasonic measurement of fetal parameters for estimation of gestational age in Korean black goats

The objective of this study was to determine relationship of gestational age with measurement of diameter of head, orbit, trunk, long and short axis of heart, aorta, placentome, umbilical cord and umbilical vein in Korean black goats. In this study, ten pregnant Korean black goats (Capra hircus aegagrus) were used. Pregnancy diagnosis was performed with a 5 MHz linear transducer and ultrasonographic scan were performed at 60, 75, 90, 105, 120 and 135 days after mating with a 4-9 MHz convex transducer. For accurate measurement, all fetal organs were measured at least 3 times. The diameter of head, orbit, trunk, long and short axis of heart, aorta, placentome, umbilical cord and umbilical vein were significantly increased with the gestational age (P