The IBEX Customizable Extension (ICE) is a device designed for arm-free reproductive ultrasound exams in cattle, increasing efficiency by allowing rapid pregnancy diagnosis while decreasing operator and animal discomfort.

Identification of fetal anomalies or accidents of gestation can not be done in a practical manner during gestation without the use of diagnostic ultrasound, and is one of many examples that demonstrate the superiority of reproductive ultrasound over manual palpation and other manners of pregnancy diagnosis in cattle.

This week we have showcased some of the more common disorders seen in the bovine fetus.

A lot has changed since I wrote a blog post for EI Medical in 2011! I have a new last name, two little kids and I no longer use clippers when scanning calf lungs. I am still scanning calf lungs with my Ibex PRO/r and teaching veterinarians and veterinary students the technique. Out on farm and in research, we are now all using one scoring system developed by Dr. Terri Ollivett from University of Wisconsin.

Image #1...FEMALE

Are you still sitting on the fence, trying to decide whether to invest in an IBEX^® portable ultrasound? Fertility Management is about timing and decision making. Proper management techniques can ultimately save a farm or dairy operation money. Can you make decisions with inaccurate information or untimely information?

Many fertility managers use blood testing for for their management of their herd. We can provide a better alternative to blood testing your animals. If you do any fertility management work on farms, you should think about the following three reasons ultrasounds are superior to blood tests.

Written by Glenn Selk, PhD. Beef Cattle Specialist Emeritus with the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service.

Now we have another good excuse to cull cows due to bad temperament. Producers that routinely breed cows artificially realize that cows that are unruly and nervous are less likely to conceive to artificial insemination. Presumably, the lowered conception rates were because they have been stressed as they are passed through the working facilities and restrained while being synchronized and inseminated. Research trials indicate, even in the serenity of a natural breeding pasture, cows with bad dispositions are less likely to conceive when mated with bulls.

Image: IBEX^® EVO^® + L7HD, in a Holstein cow

Mummification in bovine fetuses has an incidence of less than 2%. It occurs when there is fetal death for any number of reasons (Trichomoniasis and BVD infections have been specifically implicated as causes), but the CL is retained, the cervix stays closed, and there is no bacteria or oxygen present in the uterus to cause maceration.