EN
Early diagnosis of pregnancy in cattle is an important factor determining the profitability of breeding. It can shorten the intercalving period by accelerating the next insemination procedure or diagnosing the cause of infertility. Palpation of the reproductive system per rectum is a method used for more than 100 years. It involves palpation of the uterine horns to detect the fetal vesicle, fetus water and the embryo itself. The earliest time when the fetal bladder can be detected is the 28th day after insemination in heifers or the 32nd-35th day in multiparous cows. The method is fast and cheap, it does not require additional equipment, and the result is immediate. An effective examination by this method is not easy and requires theoretical and practical preparation. The method also involves the risk of causing fetal damage, resulting in the loss of pregnancy and deterioration in the cow’s well-being. An upgrade of the method is the introduction of ultrasound rectal examination, which increases the efficiency of diagnosis and shortens the time from insemination to examination. Despite its long history, the diagnosis of early pregnancy by rectal examination has not lost its importance or popularity. Although new methods of diagnosing pregnancy continue to be introduced in today’s practice, they do not diminish the importance of rectal palpitation.