Studies on dystocia in sheep. I. A technique for radiographic pelvimetry in the ewe

Authors: McSporran KD, Wyburn RS
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 27, Issue 4, pp 64-66, Apr 1979
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: Livestock, Production animal, Ruminant, Sheep
Subject Terms: Diagnostic procedures, Reproduction - female, Parturition, Disease/defect, Imaging, Reproduction
Article class: Scientific Article

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Abstract: A method is described for measuring the pelvic dimensions of the ewe from one lateral and one ventro-dorsal radiograph. Estimates of the conjugate and transverse diameters of the pelvic inlet, and the distance separating the lateral ischial tuberosities, accurate to within 5% of post-mortem measurements, were obtained from 11 sheep by employing a large target-film distance and applying correction factors for each of the planes of interest. Estimates of the distance between the posterior promontories of the ischium agreed less well with post-mortem measurements, but this may be related to the difficulty in locating this point accurately at post mortem. The pelvic outlet was estimated poorly by radiographic pelvimetry (r = 0.68) and was considered to be of little value in predicting the size of the pelvic outlet at parturition.

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