CERVERA-HERNANDEZ, P et al. Non-Invasive Method for Pregnancy Diagnosis in Odocoileus Virginianus. []. , 6, 1, pp.9-16. ISSN 0121-7488.

Objective: To value the efficiency of pregnancy diagnosis by estimating levels of fecal progestins in white-tailed deer O. virginianus outside the reproductive season. Materials and methods: Blood and feces samples of nine White tailed-deer (WTD) were analyzed weekly for two months in reproductive season. Additionally WTD were exposed to a male during a month in reproductive season and feces were collected twice in non-reproductive season, in order to estimate progestins metabolites levels. The cut value for pregnancy diagnosis from levels of fecal progestins metabolites in luteal and follicular phases of WTD, was determined. Blood progesterone levels were measured by radioimmuno analysis and were correlated with the fecal progestins levels. Pregnancy diagnosis was related with the deliveries. Results: Total correlation coefficient between blood progestins levels and fecal metabolites progestins was 0.37 (p<0.01). Individual correlation coefficient variation was 0.104 to 0.99. Cut off value for pregnancy diagnosis was 4000 ng/g in feces. Efficiency for pregnancy diagnosis was 77.78%, predictive positive value was 75% and the negative was 80% respectively. Conclusions: It is possible to carry out pregnancy diagnosis in non-reproductive season, through quantification of fecal progestin metabolites levels, in WTD in captivity, taking as cut value 4000 ng/g feces.

: Steroid Metabolites; Feces; Deer; Reproduction; Pregnancy Diagnosis.

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