Today's range of Medata instruments can be used for testing all domestic animals, and more. The system makes use of the Doppler principle in which the transmitted beam is subjected to a small frequency change on reflection from a moving surface, such as the fetal heart wall. The probe, containing both transmitting and receiving elements, projects a narrow, focused beam of low energy ultrasound via a coupling medium on the abdomen of the animal. The beam is reflected by the uterine artery, umbilical vessels or fetal heart and converted into the readily recognised sounds of a confirmed pregnancy. In the sow, pregnancy can be detected with confidence using the Medata Series 3 Doppler from 25 days after service.
Testing can then continue throughout the pregnancy until farrowing.
The Medata Doppler system eliminates false positives due to full bladder, cystic ovary, inflamed uterus etc. Negative results can be confirmed in a matter of days by a second test. The Series 3 can also be used to confirm satisfactory completion of farrowing as live unexpelled pigs will continue to give the characteristic fetal heart sounds. This very useful application is unique to the Doppler system. The Series 5 Doppler together with the rectal probe is used to confirm pregnancy in cattle and mares as early as 6 weeks after service.