The benefits of livestock pregnancy detection using ultrasound

Ultrasonographer checking pregnancy status of ewes

Why would you want to learn to undertake livestock pregnancy detection using an ultrasound machine for yourself?

Imagine being able to undertake your own pregnancy scanning for yourself. It certainly has some benefits, and many find it is well worth the investment to learn how. When you invest in building your own skills you will find you have:

  • Freedom to choose: When you have your own equipment and the skills to use it you no longer need to wait. You can follow your own program and perform multiple scans when you need to make important decisions for your livestock management.
  • Cost savings: Hiring a technician to do ultrasound can be expensive, especially if you have a large flock or herd. When you invest in having the skills for yourself, you will quickly make savings you can invest in other ways.
  • More control: Learning to do ultrasound yourself gives you more control over your flock or herd's reproductive management. You have the freedom to decide if you will check on single animals, small groups or do all of them. Once set up you make the decisions in line with your enterprise requirements.
  • Improved health and welfare: By detecting problems early, you can take steps to treat them before they become serious. This can help to improve the health and welfare of your animals and reduce the risk of death.
  • More choices in your enterprise: Beyond what you do with your own animals, you then have the option to diversify your income and contract your new found skills.

Not ready to learn for yourself? Using ultrasound pregnancy scanning to manage your livestock still provides many benefits worth considering that include:

  • Better decisions for your livestock can mean $$$: Research has shown it can provide up to a 400% return on investment (ROI)
  • Early pregnancy detection: This can be done as early as 21 days after breeding, which is much earlier than manual palpation, which can only detect pregnancy reliably at 35 days after breeding. It also allows you to take steps to improve the chances of a successful pregnancy, such as providing your animals with adequate nutrition and care.
  • Multiple births identification is important because twin and triplet pregnancies can increase the risk of health problems for the mother and the foetus. You can use this information to make decisions about how to manage the pregnancy, such as separating the animal or providing her with extra nutrition.
  • Foetal health: You can check for the presence of a heartbeat, determine the size and position of the foetus, and look for any abnormalities. This can help you to identify problems early and take steps to improve the chances of a successful outcome, particularly for your most prised animals.

To find out when our next ultrasound training is happening check out our website.

Bralca: creating choice through knowledge

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