SHEEP production on the Prairies is one of the brighter spots in the livestock business. Demand is rising and sheep associations are encouraging new producers and larger flocks.
With industry development comes the need for modern management tools, among them the use of ultrasound to detect ewe pregnancy and number of lambs expected.
The Saskatchewan Sheep Development Board had excellent intentions when it sought people to provide ultrasound service to members. But as reported in the June 4 issue, an unsatisfied customer has illustrated one of the challenges to development of a more robust sheep industry on the Prairies.
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Under Saskatchewan and Alberta rules, only veterinarians or technicians under the supervision of a veterinarian can perform ultrasound tests on sheep.
Trouble is, few veterinarians perform the service because the needed equipment is expensive and the sheep industry is too small to make the purchase profitable for rural vets.
That’s understandable, but where does that leave sheep producers? They’re without access to a service that could improve their bottom lines and help them expand.
Ultrasound technology is widely used in New Zealand, a sheep producing powerhouse and the main competition for Alberta and Saskatchewan lamb. Accurate pregnancy tests allow producers to organize pasture, feed and lambing facilities and to cut costs on feeding open ewes.
Tests in New Zealand don’t have to be done by veterinarians. People trained in ultrasound technology can do them, and the testers must be trained well to meet the expectation of 98 percent accuracy.
That level of accuracy isn’t likely to be achieved by veterinarians here because smaller sheep numbers and the many other demands on rural veterinarians’ time would prelude proficiency. But it might be achievable by a trained technician who specialized in sheep ultrasound tests.
There is a shortage of rural veterinarians with large animal practices and it is a challenge for these practitioners to make ends meet while also having some reasonable quality of personal life.
That’s why it would make sense for the veterinary associations to explore and legalize a technologist training program that would teach others to do ultrasound tests in sheep.
Ultrasound is not an invasive procedure. It’s an external scan. Even improperly conducted tests will not harm animals. The skill lies in accurately interpreting images from the scan and it certainly requires training and practice.
But training can be provided to people who don’t have veterinary degrees and there is Canadian proof of that. The Ontario Veterinary Association has certified two technicians to do the tests in sheep and goats.
It is time for the veterinary associations in Saskatchewan and Alberta to revisit the issue, and for sheep associations and producers to encourage them to do so.
The prairie sheep industry is viable and demand for lamb is growing. Producers need access to technology that will improve profitability and competitiveness.
Discussion between the veterinary associations and the sheep producer boards will be a good step toward developing access to available production technology.
Bruce Dyck, Terry Fries, Barb Glen, D’Arce McMillan and Ken Zacharias collaborate in the writing of Western Producer editorials.
