Implementation conditions and overall utility of on-farm ultrasound on pubescent pigs

This is the first study to assess the benefits of ultrasound scans in on-farm conditions and using regular-quality equipment. The examinations were made externally on 63 gilts ranging from 180-200 days old. The ultrasound checks, which were performed using a portable unit fitted with a linear array probe, proved comparable in accuracy to the hospital-quality checks performed in a medical setting.The 90 checks performed using a sector probe gave less accurate results, but the subjects were sexually immature shoats, which are more difficult to examine. Measurement quality and duration are affected by how the animals are restrained. The results of 232 scans performed on 4 farms showed significant intra- and inter-farm variability in age at puberty. The females introduced into the breeding cycle despite being pre-pubescent (20% of cases) were less well resynchronized following progestin treatment, but there was no effect on fertility.The paper discusses the implementation conditions and potential benefits of the technique.