ArticleAnimals : an open access journal from MDPI2026
Sonographic Assessment of Fetometric Parameters in Pigs of Different Prolific Genotypes for Gestational Age Estimation.
Article in Animals : an open access journal from MDPI, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Pregnant Pigs at Slaughter-An Overview of Legal and Ethical Frameworks, Reasons, Occurrence, and Fetal Age Determination.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2026Review
- Sow behaviour, parturition process and management in free farrowing systems.Porcine health management · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
Abstract
The slaughter of pregnant sows remains a relevant concern in modern swine production, with prevalence rates reported from 1.5-13% in Europe. Considering fetal sensitivity during late gestation and legal restrictions on transport and slaughter, reliable assessment of fetal age is of considerable practical, ethical, and legal relevance. In this study, 70 pregnancies from low-prolificacy (purebred German Saddleback) and medium-to-high prolificacy genotypes (purebred German Landrace and Duroc × German Landrace hybrids) were repeatedly examined using transabdominal ultrasonography, with a total of 15 examinations per pregnancy. Seven fetometric parameters-rosto-occipital distance, bi-parietal distance, orbital distance, sternum length, thorax diameter, body diameter, and crown-rump length-were measured in vivo, assessing two fetuses per pregnancy and calculating mean values to account for intra-individual variation. Parameter feasibility varied across gestation: during early gestation (gestation days 38 and 40), orbital distance, sternum length, and crown-rump length could be reliably measured; in mid-gestation, all seven parameters were measurable, whereas in late gestation (from gestational day 87 onward), crown-rump length was no longer measurable, and the remaining six parameters remained assessable for gestational age estimation. Crown-rump length (CRL) increased from a median of 3.2 cm (range 1.9-4.2 cm) at day 38 to 16.3 cm (range 14.0-18.2 cm) at day 77, representing the most practical parameter for determining the stage of gestation. Litter size had no significant effect on fetometric growth, except for a weak correlation with thorax diameter at day 77, and parity showed no measurable influence on any parameter. The results show that fetometric values in modern sow genotypes are smaller than those reported in earlier literature, highlighting the need for updated gestational age assessment. These findings provide practical guidance for gestational age estimation, supporting the enforcement of animal welfare legislation and potentially contributing to a reduction in the slaughter of highly pregnant sows.
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Registered trials
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