What is the best configuration for pregnancy checking dairy goats?
One of the most common questions any goat breeder considering investing in an ultrasound machine asks is which probe to pick. Convex probes tend to be the default option in entry-level systems, as they are generally cheaper to manufacture, but once you’ve made the commitment to invest $2000 or more in a scanner, your priority is likely to be choosing the best probe for the job.
Microconvex probes emit higher frequencies than convex probes, and high frequencies generate high resolution images – but the downside is that this ultrasound energy cannot travel as far. In the below video, I compare the microconvex and convex probes on two popular ultrasound machines – the ScanX and the Elite 5600 – using a small dog as my model.
Image quality comparison
Compare the three clips below for yourself – all taken within 20 minutes of each other on the same animal – and see which you think has the best image quality. Do you prefer the ScanX convex probe, ScanX microconvex probe, or the $25,000 Siemens P500 microconvex probe?
ScanX with convex probe:
ScanX with microconvex probe: