ECM ultrasound scannerECM of France, a specialist in veterinary ultrasound solutions, has launched VIRTUAL SCAN - an ultrasound scanner for pig farmers and veterinarians. ECM says the scanner offers an alternative to screenless A-Mode Doppler devices, cheaper ultrasound devices, which are often poor quality.

VIRTUAL SCAN weighs 450 grams. It is equipped with an internal five-hour battery and a 5MHz sector probe. ECM says the instrument is extremely easy to handle - all the user needs to do is switch it on and the hand-held instrument is instantly ready to perform an ultrasound on sows.

VIRTUAL SCAN is a compact device (11cm x 18.5cm x 4.5cm) and does not require an external cable. According to the company, it can be used in any livestock facility, even inside narrow, hard-to-reach stalls. The screen is positioned in such a way that the image is always visible.

Using ECM's scanner, pregnancy tests can be performed as early as 21 days after insemination, so it is possible to re-inseminate any unfertilised sow without wasting a costly additional cycle. The image is easy to interpret. After use, the VIRTUAL SCAN ultrasound instrument is easy to clean with a damp cloth or water.

ECM, which is headquartered in Angoulême (in south-western France), develops and manufactures specialist veterinary-science devices. The company also provides training in ultrasound techniques, the correct way to move the probe and how to interpret the ultrasound image.

For more information, please contact:

Simon Quarmby
HOLMEFIELD Farm Service
Agriculture House
Murton Lane
Murton
York
T019 5UF

tel : (44) 1904 481.490
fax : (44) 1904 481.211
email : simon@hfsvets.com

Or visit: http://www.agroscan.com/ and http://www.ecmscan.com/

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