Use of ultrasound scanning in swine for detection of pregnancy and some pathological conditions.

The adaptation of ultrasound scanning to the diagnosis of pregnancy and other physiological conditions in swine was examined. The scanner was equipped with a 3.5-MHz transducer. The probe was placed against the skin in the area of the abdominal flank of a standing sow and moved between the first and third posterior teats. The 2,257 sows were all presumed to be pregnant and underwent a single echography examination between 18 and 90 d post-insemination. For pregnant sows, the accuracy rate of diagnosis averaged 98.7 %. The majority of errors were made between 18 and 21 d of pregnancy in sows which subsequently gave birth to fewer than five piglets. This technique allowed us to detect only 54 % of non-pregnant sows. Nevertheless, a high accuracy rate was obtained when examination was performed within 7 d before the return of estrus (80 %). Conditions at the time of the examination were also an important factor. Ultrasound scanning opened up possibilities for observing other conditions such as cystic ovaries and metritis.