A Dexter friend and I have heard that a human pregnancy test can be placed under the urine stream in Dexters for pregnancy testing.
We have been wondering if that does work, or if not, why not?
I thought I would ask here since Duncan is so good about answering these type of questions, and hopefully the answer will be of interest to all.
Thanks
Judy USA
Pregnancy test
-
welshdexterboy
- Posts: 230
- Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2007 10:11 pm
- Location: Pembrokeshire
-
Duncan MacIntyre
- Posts: 2372
- Joined: Tue Mar 30, 2004 12:38 am
- Location: Isle of Bute, Scotland, UK
It is only during the very first part of a pragnancy the test need to be done in the morning, I have been told. Later on the levels of hormons are enough to show on the test. I think I´ll buy a Clearblue to test my cow.. I hope she is in calf but I don´t know for sure and I am not curious enough to ask my vet to examine her. At least not for while, she was AI´d in early November.
Anna Bergstrom
Sweden
Sweden
I used to work in a pathology lab - things have changed a bit since then, but human pregnancy tests check for a hormone produced during pregnancy (hCG) this reacts with the test if present and you get the positive result. You can occasionally get false postives, usually caused by an early pregnancy that is aborted/miscarried just after implantation. The reason for testing first morning urine is that the hormone is more concentrated at this time. Only relevant in early pregnancy as the hormone increases as the pregnancy progresses.
The problem with using the test for animals is that it is testing for a specific HUMAN hormone. I am fairly certain that other mammals also produce a hormone similar, but whether it is similar enough in structure to the human form to trigger a response in the test I couldn't tell you. Although, I am pretty sure that I read somewhere that it works in primates like orangutans. however, they are much more closely related to us than cows - well to me anyway - not sure about the rest of you :laugh:
So in theory may work if the hormones are structurally similar, but I would have thought that if they were more people would be using this as a reliable means of checking. I had heard several years ago of people trying to use them with horses, but never got a concensus as to whether they got any meaningful results. When I checked with a vet then she told me it wouldn't work. Also, if you do get some sort of reaction you may find that some tests are better than others.
The problem with using the test for animals is that it is testing for a specific HUMAN hormone. I am fairly certain that other mammals also produce a hormone similar, but whether it is similar enough in structure to the human form to trigger a response in the test I couldn't tell you. Although, I am pretty sure that I read somewhere that it works in primates like orangutans. however, they are much more closely related to us than cows - well to me anyway - not sure about the rest of you :laugh:
So in theory may work if the hormones are structurally similar, but I would have thought that if they were more people would be using this as a reliable means of checking. I had heard several years ago of people trying to use them with horses, but never got a concensus as to whether they got any meaningful results. When I checked with a vet then she told me it wouldn't work. Also, if you do get some sort of reaction you may find that some tests are better than others.
-
Broomcroft
- Posts: 3005
- Joined: Wed Sep 06, 2006 4:42 am
- Location: Shropshire, England
- Contact:
I've got 70 females. I can't imagine running round waiting for them to wee and jumping up behind them! And I wouldn't want to go to the chemist and buy the test kits by the dozen either. We live in a small tight-knit community and I can imagine the whispers as I walk down the high street already! :laugh: "Fancy trying to have kids at his age? What a disgrace." "Trying too hard you know! Buys pregnancy kits every week!"
Edited By Broomcroft on 1200639073
Edited By Broomcroft on 1200639073
Clive
-
helen salmon
- Posts: 63
- Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2007 7:00 pm
If you are just curious to know if your cow is in calf you could try this, I haven't tried it on the cows but it is reasonably reliable (about 80% or more) on the alpacas and I've tried it on the occasional sheep and goat.
Tie a small heavy weight to a length of lightweight string about 12 -15 inches long. Later you could find a pendant.
Hold the end of the string lightly between finger and thumb.
Relax, clear your mind and ask a question that you know the answer to. The answer must be yes or no.
The weight will swing round in a circle clockwise or anticlockwise. Remember which way it goes. Now ask a question with the other answer. It should swing the other way. Remember this too.
You now have the means to ask clear questions with yes or no as an answer.
Go to the cows and concentrate on the one you want to test, you can hold the weight over her back but it works if you just stand near and concentrate. Ask politely if you may find out if your cows are pregnant (or whatever else you want to know) the weight should swing for your yes. Ask any straightforward question eg Is she pregnant? - you can think it or say it, both work. When you have finished say thank you and mean it.
I would not use this if I needed to know before a sale or something but it might work for you.
Some people will scoff or say it is telling you what you already know but a few years ago I had an alpaca who had never calved and I certainly expected her never to. I tested her when I was testing the others and it came up positive, I found it very hard to believe but in due course she produced her first baby.
It can be used to find water and lost items (as long as the question you ask has a yes or no answer).
It is not good on time eg Will something happen tomorrow? Next week?
It is also not good at picking lottery numbers.
Go on, have a go and let us know if it works for you. While I wait for Duncan to send the men in white coats to my home.
:D
Tie a small heavy weight to a length of lightweight string about 12 -15 inches long. Later you could find a pendant.
Hold the end of the string lightly between finger and thumb.
Relax, clear your mind and ask a question that you know the answer to. The answer must be yes or no.
The weight will swing round in a circle clockwise or anticlockwise. Remember which way it goes. Now ask a question with the other answer. It should swing the other way. Remember this too.
You now have the means to ask clear questions with yes or no as an answer.
Go to the cows and concentrate on the one you want to test, you can hold the weight over her back but it works if you just stand near and concentrate. Ask politely if you may find out if your cows are pregnant (or whatever else you want to know) the weight should swing for your yes. Ask any straightforward question eg Is she pregnant? - you can think it or say it, both work. When you have finished say thank you and mean it.
I would not use this if I needed to know before a sale or something but it might work for you.
Some people will scoff or say it is telling you what you already know but a few years ago I had an alpaca who had never calved and I certainly expected her never to. I tested her when I was testing the others and it came up positive, I found it very hard to believe but in due course she produced her first baby.
It can be used to find water and lost items (as long as the question you ask has a yes or no answer).
It is not good on time eg Will something happen tomorrow? Next week?
It is also not good at picking lottery numbers.
Go on, have a go and let us know if it works for you. While I wait for Duncan to send the men in white coats to my home.
:D
-
JamsHundred
- Posts: 134
- Joined: Sat Nov 19, 2005 4:14 am
Thanks Rebecca. I guess I could do some experiments? Like Clive, I'd feel a bit of a fool out in the field racing cow to cow as I see tails raised. Clive, that was funny! I grew up in a very small town and word does get around. I was laughing at the image of you trying to explain jogging through the pasture with pregnancy test kits.
Sylvia, I have a few "new age" inclinations myself, and I had heard of this before. I think I tried it on something years ago, but I had forgotten. I now regularly forget more than I remember.
Thanks Duncan. Maybe there will come a time or opportunity to discuss the bovine hormones versus the human to see if there are similarities.
Thanks again Clive for the laugh. This has been a funky week.
I have lost two old friends in the past 10 days. . .my oldest cows. . one would have been 20 this year, the other 18.
Judy
USA
Sylvia, I have a few "new age" inclinations myself, and I had heard of this before. I think I tried it on something years ago, but I had forgotten. I now regularly forget more than I remember.
Thanks Duncan. Maybe there will come a time or opportunity to discuss the bovine hormones versus the human to see if there are similarities.
Thanks again Clive for the laugh. This has been a funky week.
I have lost two old friends in the past 10 days. . .my oldest cows. . one would have been 20 this year, the other 18.
Judy
USA
Wouldn't it just be cheaper, for a large herd, to get the vet in to PD your cows?
Human Gonadatrophin (the growth hormone released by a developing foetus) is different from the Gonadatrophin of other mammals. Some mammals may have growth hormones which are similar to humans, so its possible that the pregnancy testing strips may work for some species of mammal.
The further into the pregnancy the foetus is, the more growth hormone is released. So after a month or two, it wouldn't matter what time of the day the urine sample was taken. There would still be enough hormone in the urine to give a positive test IF the mammal being tested, has a growth hormone very similar to humans.
Human Gonadatrophin (the growth hormone released by a developing foetus) is different from the Gonadatrophin of other mammals. Some mammals may have growth hormones which are similar to humans, so its possible that the pregnancy testing strips may work for some species of mammal.
The further into the pregnancy the foetus is, the more growth hormone is released. So after a month or two, it wouldn't matter what time of the day the urine sample was taken. There would still be enough hormone in the urine to give a positive test IF the mammal being tested, has a growth hormone very similar to humans.
Inger
NZ
NZ