| Summary: | The information obtained about the gestational age allows ewes to be grouped and fed with appropriate rations for pregnancy. The aims of this study are to evaluate the relationship between placentome diameter (PD), placentome blood flow pixel area (PBFPA) and progesterone (P4) concentrations during pregnancy and to determine which parameter/s is/are effective in determining the gestational age better in sheep whose gestational age is unknown. In the study, 50 singleton pregnant Kivircik ewes were used. The day that the sheep mated with the ram was considered as day 0 of pregnancy. Ultrasonographic examinations and blood sample collections were done on the same day; once a week between 26-40 days, once every two weeks between 41-130 days, and once a week from day 130 of gestation until parturition. The power Doppler images of the biggest 3 placentomes were recorded. ImageJ software program was used for analysis of the area of colored pixels of placentome. The gestational day accurately determined up to 40th, 84th and 96th day of pregnancy according to the PD, PBFPA and P4 concentration, respectively. In conclusion, no relationship (except for PBFPA 40 and PD 40; P<0.05) between PD, PBFPA and P4 concentration on same time segments were detected in Kivircik ewes during pregnancy in this study. It was determined that P4 concentration measurements in sheep with unknown breeding time were the most useful parameter for determining the day of gestation, rather than PBFPA and PD, until day 96 of gestation in this study. However, while progesterone allowed for a more accurate determination of the gestational age up to day 96, this method is not yet successful in accurately determining the exact day of gestation beyond day 96 and until the end of pregnancy.
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