Newsletter

Industry Spotlight - Dairy: The Use of Ultrasounds in Dairy Farms

With June —dairy month— just around the corner, we would like to highlight ultrasound use in the dairy industry. Reproductive ultrasound technology was first used on dairy farms in 1984. Dr. Ginther, at University of Wisconsin, and his team are credited with the first research involving ultrasound imaging of the bovine reproductive tract. Since 1984, an incredible amount has been learned about reproductive cycles, early pregnancy detection, fetal aging, fetal gender determination, ovarian structures and more.

CE and Training Opportunities

In many parts of the country, fall brings pregchecking season. This fall, do you want to sharpen your ultrasound skills or learn to ultrasound? We closely work with several trainers to provide a variety of courses.

Participants of Dr. Craig DeMuth’s most recent course in Columbus, Montana had the opportunity to learn and discuss different ovarian abnormalities, the diagnosis of twins, the diagnosis of fetal death, and more during the lecture. The following morning at a local ranch, each participant had the chance to develop their arm in cow ultrasound technique and their convex probe extension arm technique. With numerous cows at different stages, the wet lab provided ample opportunity for each person to practice determining fetal age and fetal sex.

Fall Photo Contest Results

Thank you to all the people who sent in photos for the contest. We received all sorts of pictures from across North America. Keep an eye on our facebook page for all of the pictures. The winner is Jim Sackett from the Parker Ranch in Oklahoma. JB has a BoviScan Curve an LCD Monitor and a ReproArm. The Parker Ranch will receive a RAM Mounts accessory kit for their ultrasound. The runner up is Darren McGhee from the McGhee Ranch. He will receive a spare battery for his monitor.

Tips, Tricks and Techniques – Fetal Aging: Plan Ahead for Success!

One of the greatest benefits of ultrasounding is the ability to age the fetus and determine the stage of gestation of the pregnant cow. When determining fetal age, it is important that the animals are presented at an estimated stage of gestation that gives you the results that you and your client desire. For example, if accurate fetal aging is required to confirm that pregnancies are the result of artificial insemination versus cleanup bulls, then the timing of the pregnancy testing is critical to one’s success. With some practice, one can categorize fetal age into 5 day increments using the grid lines on the ultrasound’s display for measuring. It is best to do this in the 28 to 85 day window. As you get closer to 100 days of gestation, there is too much variability due to genetics, fetal sex, nutrition, position of fetus in the uterus and other factors to ensure the same accuracy in fetal measurements and fetal aging.

Tips, Tricks and Techniques - Adjusting Your Ultrasound Unit to Get the Best Image

ReproScan ultrasounds have easy to use operating systems. These units have been designed so the operator can quickly and easily adjust the settings to improve the image. For most of us, we are concerned with the cow’s uterus and its potential pregnancy.

So, let’s assume we have arrived at a ranch and the cows have been off water, causing their manure to be dry. Yesterday, we ultrasounded a set of cows with juicy manure in a nicely shaded shed and had an excellent image on the monitor! Today, there is no shed; the sun is shining; the wind is blowing; the manure is dry and the image is going to be difficult to see. Welcome to the cattle business!

Tips, Tricks and Techniques – Ultrasounding Cattle when it is Cold

Ultrasound pregnancy testing cattle on cold days adds additional challenges to an already busy and challenging job. Below are a few tips and ideas from someone who has spent many a cold day chute-side. (Yes, you folks in Florida and other warmer climates can skip this article. Please send us your tips on how to beat the heat.)

How cold is cold? Most of us don’t mind a little frost on the ground during fall work. Some of my best days started standing on very solid ground. It’s the 5 degrees Fahrenheit (-15C) and colder that I consider cold, and there are special considerations to keep in mind while ultrasounding. How cold is too cold? Good question, I have been out at -13F (-25C) and everything went well. I wouldn’t recommend going to all your clients at this temperature, as too many things can go wrong in a poor setup even on a good day. Any colder than -13F (-25C), a little warmer if there is wind chill, and the LCD monitor will not function properly.

Tips, Tricks and Techniques – Getting the Right Pressure on the ReproArm

Equipment Care: Chuteside Set Up

Winter is right around the corner, this means chilly days. Chilly days mean chilly fingers. Speeding up your setup time at the chute can reduce the chilliness in your fingers. There are numerous ways to setup your ReproScan up chute-side, but what are quickest and easiest? ReproScan recommends the RAM Mounts® system. This accessory kit is easily adapted to any ReproScan Monitor. To see an in depth set up video click here to see the Ram Mounts Video on YouTube.

New Look!

As you may have already noticed, ReproScan is in the process of getting a new look! New look, new location, but same great customer service and products. At the core, ReproScan seeks to offer simple, durable, and affordable equipment with the best customer service. We at ReproScan wanted our look to reflect this. Stay tuned to see the transition, and thank you for your business—we greatly appreciate it!

New Equipment Highlight - 2.0 Wireless Monitor

ReproScan’s new LCD Monitor 2.0 is now available! This monitor offers improved image quality, increased user friendliness, wireless capabilities, a single 8-hour built-in lithium ion battery, touchscreen buttons, and a brighter and clearer display. Paired with the ReproScan Sun Shade Monitor Bag, the bright 1000 nit display makes working outside in sunlight even easier. The LCD Monitor 2.0 is wireless when used with the ReproScan XTC increasing ease of setup and versatility; it also provides a much clearer image with any of the BoviScan machines via direct wired VGA input. It is IP65 rated for weatherproofing making it even more durable.