January 30, 2009

ECM develops ultrasound instrument for sows

French ultrasound specialist ECM has developed an ultrasound instrument meeting the specific requirements of livestock farmers and veterinarians.

The VIRTUAL SCAN's objective is to provide an alternative to the various screenless and imageless Doppler mode A devices, but also to compete with inexpensive and poor-quality ultrasound devices.

At 450 grammes, VIRTUAL SCAN is light and equipped with an internal 5-hour battery and a 5MHz sector probe. The instrument is also easy to handle, as the user can perform an ultrasound on sows simply by pressing the "on" button and using the hand-held device.

Compact (11 x 18.5 x 4.5 cm) and devoid of any external cable, VIRTUAL SCAN can be used in any livestock facility, even inside narrow and hard-to-reach stalls. The screen is positioned in such a way that the image is always visible.

Pregnancy controls may be performed as early as 21 days following insemination, so it is possible to re-inseminate any empty sow without wasting an additional cycle. The image is easy to interpret. After use, the VIRTUAL SCAN ultrasound instrument can be easily cleaned with a damp cloth or water.