Ultrasound Scanning

1. Access your ultrasound scanning barn sheets from AngusNOW reports or from the office.

2. Schedule a scan date with ultrasound technician. (Schedule an appointment with an approved certified technician at least one month in advance. The fee for scanning is set by the technician. It is recommended that smaller herds in close proximity coordinate their scanning times to reduce per head costs). (See below for list of technician contact details).

3. Prepare for ultrasound scan: (Determine management/contemporary groups. (Weigh all cattle the same day as the ultrasound scan. The scan weight should be collected when the animal is empty. Breeder responsibilities include providing the technician with adequate conditions for scanning in order to prevent rejected images. Cattle must be dry in the region of scanning and out of direct or bright sunlight to allow for the images to be seen clearly on the monitor. Supplemental heat must be provided in cold weather for the equipment and oil. A squeeze chute with side panel doors to allow access to the region of scanning is needed. Also, a safe electrical supply with a grounded 110-volt outlet is required).

4. Ultrasound technician collects images. (Images are interpreted by certified lab technicians at the ultrasound processing lab. Data is interpreted by one technician and then cross-checked by another, ensuring a high level of accuracy. If two lab technicians agree that an image does not meet image quality standards then that image is rejected, which may mean the animal does not receive data for that particular trait. Image quality often depends on optimum scanning conditions, outlined in the table below).

5. Images, barn worksheets, payment sent to the lab (After the herd is scanned, the ultrasound images, the technicians COR Form and the barn worksheet are sent to a certified lab, either by overnight courier (must pass through customs) or by FTP upload for those with access to high speed internet (faster delivery)).

6. Lab reports the interpreted data to Canadian Angus Association (Interpreted data is then sent electronically to the Canadian Angus Association office. Staff will contact the breeder if further information is needed (for example, an incorrect tattoo or a missing 205 day weight). We create an ultrasound report, with ultrasound measurements adjusted to a common 365 days of age for bulls and 390 days for heifers. Lean meat yield is calculated and the cattle are ranked within their contemporary groups).

7. Canadian Angus Association returns ultrasound report to member. (The ultrasound report is posted on the download area of the website for members or mailed to the breeder).

8. Ultrasound data used in bi-annual genetic evaluations. (EPDs are calculated monthly during the genetic evaluation. If both parents of the scanned animal have an ultrasound EPD, then the calf can immediately receive an ultrasound pedigree estimate.)

Scanning Guidelines

Yearling Bulls
Diet: Bulls should be placed on a high-energy ration (3 lbs/day gain) after weaning so that differences among bulls for fat thickness and marbling traits are expressed.
Age: Bulls must be between 320 and 440 days of age at time of scanning. Try to schedule the ultrasound scan on bulls at or near the end of the bull test.

Yearling Replacement Heifers
Diet: Use a normal heifer development program, preferably with a moderate to high-energy ration, in order to allow heifers to express their genetic potential for fat thickness and percentage intramuscular fat.
Age: Heifers must be between 320 and 460 days of age at time of scanning. It is suggested that heifers be scanned prior to breeding, closer to the 460 day age window.

Management/Contemporary Groups
A contemporary group of cattle is exposed to the same environmental conditions. They have been managed the same, in the same environment. A contemporary group has a minimum of two calves of the same sex and similar age managed the same way. If cattle are treated differently, for example different feeding or one was sick, they must be separated.

Once separated into different management groups they will not be ranked together again. Cattle within a contemporary group must be scanned on the same day or over no more than two consecutive days. Purchased calves have grown in a different environment, so they will be in a separate contemporary group and ranked separately from home-raised calves. Setting proper management groups is a key responsibility of breeders to provide accurate and predictable performance records.

Importance of a 205 day weight: a 205 day weight on record at the Canadian Angus Association office is needed in order to calculate the adjusted weights and lean meat yield for the animal. You must send 205 day weights to obtain your barn worksheet.