Evaluation of Ultrasound Measurement of Subcutaneous Fat Thickness in Dairy Jennies during the Periparturient Period.
Authors: Nocera Irene, Bonelli Francesca, Turini Luca, Madrigali Alessio, Aliboni Benedetta, Sgorbini Micaela
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary Real-time ultrasonography offers an objective complement to body condition scoring by directly measuring subcutaneous fat thickness, a technique already validated in cattle, horses and donkeys but lacking published data in dairy jennies. This prospective cohort study tracked six lactating jennies using portable ultrasound equipment at six anatomical sites across the periparturient period—from 15 days pre-delivery through 30 days post-partum—yielding 180 evaluable images. Whilst most measurement sites remained stable throughout lactation, two locations (S2 and S6a) showed significant variation between specific timepoints, and notably, subcutaneous fat values were markedly higher than previously reported in other species, indicating that milking jennies experience considerable metabolic stress and fat mobilisation during this critical phase. The technique proved practical and well-tolerated in the field setting, with measurements correlating reliably with visual body condition scoring. These preliminary findings suggest that real-time ultrasonography could help practitioners objectively monitor energy reserves and fat distribution in jennies, though further investigation with larger sample sizes would strengthen confidence in applying this tool to manage periparturient nutrition and prevent metabolic complications in this under-researched species.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Real-time ultrasonography provides an objective, well-tolerated alternative to visual body condition scoring in pregnant and lactating jennies
- •Multiple body sites should be evaluated to comprehensively assess fat reserves, as some locations show greater variation than others during periparturient period
- •Dairy jennies in production may require closer nutritional monitoring due to higher physiological demands on fat mobilization during pregnancy and lactation
Key Findings
- •Real-time ultrasonography successfully measured subcutaneous fat thickness at 6 body sites in dairy jennies with no significant variation across periparturient period except at sites S2 and S6a
- •Ultrasound technique was easy to perform and well tolerated in jennies during pregnancy and lactation
- •Measured fat thickness values were higher than previously reported in literature, suggesting greater physiological energy demands in dairy jennies
- •Body condition score and ultrasound measurements showed good association, supporting RTU as objective complement to subjective BCS assessment