Fecal Estrone-Sulfate Detection for Non-Invasive Ungulate Pregnancy Staging

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current pregnancy diagnosis techniques for ungulates, such as American Bison, are invasive, time-consuming, and lack specificity, sensitivity, and precision, particularly due to the difficulty in collecting blood samples and the variability in urinary and fecal steroid assays.

Innovation Solution

A non-invasive process for determining pregnancy and pregnancy stage in ungulates by extracting estrone-sulfate (E1S) from feces using a separative method coupled with mass spectrometry, setting a threshold concentration to determine pregnancy based on E1S levels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If blood sampling or Trans-Rectal Palpation and Ultrasonography (TRPUS) are used for pregnancy diagnosis, then pregnancy determination can be achieved, but the procedure becomes time-consuming, dangerous for animals and operators, and requires heavy contention methods with important workforce

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepregnancy diagnosis accuracyVSAvoidoperational simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the pregnancy diagnostic function from invasive procedures (blood sampling, TRPUS) and relocates it to fecal steroid analysis. By measuring steroid concentrations in easily collected feces samples, the method achieves reliable pregnancy diagnosis without requiring animal restraint or specialized equipment, thus resolving the contradiction between diagnostic accuracy and operational simplicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces fecal steroids as an intermediary marker for pregnancy status. Instead of directly observing pregnancy through invasive means, the method uses steroid concentration levels in feces as a mediator to indirectly but accurately determine pregnancy, eliminating the need for contentious handling while maintaining diagnostic reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If immuno-assays are used for fecal steroid measurement, then pregnancy diagnosis can be performed, but the method lacks proper validation for species-specific biological matrices, causing variations in observed steroid levels and reducing precision

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvediagnosis accessibilityVSAvoidsteroid concentration accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the measurement parameters by switching from immuno-assay methods to Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS). This parameter change enables species-specific validation and eliminates cross-reactivity issues, achieving high precision in steroid concentration measurement while maintaining ease of operation through standardized analytical procedures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent substitutes the mechanical/chemical immuno-assay system with a mass spectrometry-based analytical system. This replacement eliminates the limitations of antibody cross-reactivity and provides accurate, species-specific steroid quantification, resolving the precision problem while keeping the fecal sampling approach accessible

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If total estrogens are assayed in feces without specifying the type of estrogen, then pregnancy diagnosis can be attempted, but the lack of specificity reduces measurement precision and diagnostic accuracy

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvediagnosis speedVSAvoidestrogen type identification accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the total estrogen measurement into specific estrogen types (estrone, estrone-sulfate, estradiol) through chromatographic separation. By measuring individual steroid components rather than total estrogens, the method achieves both diagnostic speed and high precision in identifying pregnancy-specific steroid profiles

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by focusing measurement on specific steroid molecules (particularly estrone-sulfate and estrone) that are most indicative of pregnancy. This targeted approach maintains diagnostic efficiency while improving precision through selective quantification of pregnancy-relevant steroids

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This method provides high specificity, sensitivity, and precision in pregnancy diagnosis without immobilizing ungulates, allowing for accurate determination of pregnancy and stage through targeted estrone-sulfate measurement.

Implementation Method 1

a separative method coupled to mass spectrometry

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectChromatography: Chromatography

Implementation Method 2

coupled to mass spectrometry to determine an estrone-sulfate steroid (E1S) concentration

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMass spectrometry:

Data Source

PatentUS20260063649A1Process for determining pregnancy and/or a pregnancy stage of an ungulate from its feces

Publication Date: 2026.03.05 UNIV LIEGE

AI summary

The present invention relates to a process for determining pregnancy and/or a pregnancy stage of an ungulate from its feces.