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I'm using a bull that has a positive Ribeye and positive %IMF. Does that mean his offspring will scan out positive?

I have 4 ET bulls out of the same flush, will they scan out the exact same?

Can you scan commercial cattle and is it worth the cost?

If you are selling steers off the ranch than I would certainly scan them. It allows you options when marketing your beef to customers and provides you valuable data on the kind of beef that steer will produce and how things will taste. If you plan on keeping replacements in the herd, yes by all means. The female represents half the formula in producing quality beef. If you don't know what the factory will produce, it's hard to improve things. Will she help or hurt your calf crop each year? The herd or range bull your using can only move your program so far. Utilizing the ultrasound data can play a large part in your culling program as well.

Go to Page 3 of FAQ's

Not necessarily. For example... I am 6'3" and weigh around 220 pounds. I am taller than anyone in my family by at least 5 inches and out way them by 40 pounds. Genetics suggest I be 5'10" and weigh 180 pounds. Well it didn't turn out that way for me. Animals are really no different. Just because a bull has a large ribeye doesn't mean his offspring will be the same. Let's not forget that the dam has a lot to do with your results as well. But If he is a proven bull with high accuracy EPD's, chances are likely his offspring will scan to a higher degree. However, there will still be some variation in his progeny. That's why ultrasound is an extremely useful tool. Every animal is different and by using ultrasound data, it can help you decide on what animals will fit in your program and which one's won't.

You think they would but most likely there will be some variation. All should scan out somewhat close but there is always the chance one or two of them will surprise you. They might scan out higher, or lower than the others. Even though they have identical genetics, there's always going to be varibles... What kind of receipts were they on and what kind of milk did they give? Were the calves ever sick? All questions that can certainly play into the results...

All animals must be weighed within 7 days of scanning.

Do the animals need to be weighed prior to scanning them?

Can I use the scan weight as my yearling weight?

Using the scan weight as the yearling weight really depends on the breeder and the timing of the scanning session. If you ultrasound early in your scanning window, I would not recommend using that weight. I would bring them back at a later time to collect your yearling weights. And remember, yearling weights must be submitted separately to the association.

What kind of condition should my cattle be in on scan day?

Under good managment, your bulls should be gaining 2.5 plus pounds per day. Rarely do I see bulls that are not gaining fast enough to be in adequate scanning condition. However, Heifer conditions do vary from ranch to ranch. I recommend they be gaining 1.5 - 2.5 pounds per day and should be in solid "breeding condition". It is also believed that having your bulls and heifers gaining adequate weight will help them express their genetic potential for ribeye, fat and %IMF. Solid weights should pay dividends when you get your results back. However, you can do too much of a good thing by over feeding and getting them too fat. This can negatively impact milk production and reproduction. Not to mention your possible yeild grade scores.

Well for starters, the C.U.P. lab requires all animals are clipped. And I want to get the best results for you and your animal. Clipping the animals allows for close contact between the scanning probe and the animals skin. Clipping helps clear the scanning area of dirt and debris and gives the technician a nice clean surface to work from. Evidence has shown that clippling greatly improves image quality, thus giving you the most accurate results. See the clipping area

Why do you clip the animals in the scanning area?

here.

Do you measure the scan results or do chute side measurements?

No.All the images I take are sent to 1 of 4 central ultrasound labs in the country. That eliminates any bias from technicians and allows a third party to read the images. They are the professionals at reading images so I leave that to them.

Go here for rmore information on commercial and feedlot scanning.

Review some of the breeds leading AI bulls and how they look from an ultrasound perspective

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