How to choose and use goat sonogram machine?

The breeding situation of goats is directly related to the economic benefits of the goat farm. Animal ultrasound machines play a very important role in the diagnosis of ewe pregnancy. Veterinary ultrasound machines are often used for pregnancy diagnosis, disease diagnosis, fetal number estimation, stillbirth identification, etc., with the advantages of fast examination and clear results. Compared with traditional examination methods, goat ultrasound machines greatly simplify the examination process, reduce the cost of examination, and facilitate breeders/veterinarians to quickly find problems and take faster actions.

 

How to choose a suitable veterinary sonography machine for goats

1. Strong portability, convenient for outdoor use

2. The screen is clear and bright, and the image can be clearly read on the spot.

3. Strong endurance, enough to support the ultrasound examination of goats in the goat farm and improve work efficiency.

Recommended product: Dawei portable animal ultrasound machine S1, with convex array probe.

Use of animal ultrasound machine

1. Examination position

In the early stage of goat pregnancy, check the areas with less hair on both sides of the udder and between the udders, or the interval between the two udders. In the middle and late stages of pregnancy, the right abdominal wall can be checked. The inspection of the area with less hair does not require shearing, while the inspection of the lateral abdominal wall requires shearing.

 

2. Inspection method

The user squats on the side of the sheep, applies coupling glue to the probe, and then puts the probe close to the skin and points it to the pelvic entrance for a fan-shaped inspection. It can be performed from the front to the back of the breast, from the sides to the middle of the breast, or from the middle to the sides of the breast. In the early stages of pregnancy, the fetal sac is not large and the embryo is very small, so it needs to be scanned slowly to be discovered. The user can also squat behind the ewe's buttocks, hold the probe and scan from the middle of the two hind limbs to the breast. If the dairy sheep's breasts are too large, or the hair on the outside of the abdominal wall is too long, affecting the inspection area, the assistant can lift the hind limb on the inspection side to expose the inspection area.

 

3. Features of livestock ultrasound machine for detecting the non-pregnant uterus of ewes:

The non-pregnant uterus of the ewe is located on the head side of the echo-free, fluid-filled bladder. Using the transrectal route, the contact between the probe and the uterus is closer, which makes it easier to identify the non-pregnant uterus.

 

4. Characteristics of pregnant uterus in ewe detected by livestock ultrasound machine:

Depending on the stage of early pregnancy in the female goat, the interpretation of the ultrasound image of the pregnant uterus may lead to one of two conclusions: that the pregnancy may be possible but re-examination may be needed or the animal is pregnant.

The first ultrasound sign of a possible pregnant uterus is some fluid-filled compartments in the uterus, which can be observed transrectally a few days earlier than the transabdominal route. Using the transrectal route, uterine fluid accumulation in pregnant ewes has been observed, sometimes as early as between days 16 and 20, but regularly between days 20 and 23; from day 30 onwards, the fetus can be seen in all cases. In the author's experience, the fetus is not always visible when performing transrectal scans on pregnant goats on day 30.

During the transabdominal scan, fluid in the uterine cavity is the first sign of pregnancy that can be observed around day 22. In goats in particular, it should be realized that a reliable diagnosis of pregnancy cannot be based solely on the presence of fluid in the uterine cavity, as there may be water accumulation. Therefore, it should be based on the presence of fluid as well as the placenta and/or fetal parts or membranes. The fetus and fetal membranes can sometimes be observed transabdominally starting from day 25, most often from day 30, but should be visible in all cases after day 35. The first ultrasound sign of placental development becomes visible at about day 25 as a small bulge in the uterine wall. From about day 38, the placenta can be observed with a typical ultrasound appearance: a half-moon or white round structure with no echo in the center.

Sometimes, a fetal heartbeat can be observed in ewes as early as day 30. From day 35 onwards, cardiac activity should be felt in all fetuses.

The accuracy of distinguishing single from twin pregnancies is higher than that of distinguishing twins from triplets or quadruplets and depends on the equipment, operator experience, and gestational stage. The best period for counting goat fetuses is between 40 and 70 days, when the entire uterine contents can be seen and the fetuses are not as likely to hide each other as in later stages.

 

Precautions for using goat ultrasound machine

1. Do not use the device near generators, radios, etc., which may interfere with the image and affect image quality.

2. Before using for the first time, you must carefully read the ultrasonic instruction manual and operate strictly in accordance with the requirements.

3. During operation, do not pull the probe hard. You can apply coupling glue on the surface of the probe to protect its surface.

4. Treat the sheep gently and not violently, otherwise it may cause problems such as sheep miscarriage.