Using The Dopller Pregtector During Farrowing; Pregnancy Detection Of Outdoor Sows Using The Doppler Pregtector - MS Schippers Pregtector Doppler Mode D'emploi

8. Using the dopller pregtector during farrowing

The ability to confirm the presence of live fetuses in the uterus can be very useful in a difficult
farrowing. Whilst it is nearly always possible to manually examine the uterus, the should be
avoided if at all possible as, apart from being unpleasant both the breeder and the sow, it can
lead to uterine infection. There are times when it cannot be avoided, but the Doppler Pregtector
can help to avoid its use for exploratory purposes.
Occasionally a sow will deliver a small number of pigs, followed by some cleansing, and uterine
contractions will stop. The placenta, which has been nourishing the fetuses throughout pregnancy,
will begin to break down at the moment the first fetus is expelled.
Subsequent pigs must be born within 6 to 12 hours of the firs in order to survive, and in these
circumstances, if nothing is done, any further pigs will be stillborn within the next 12 to 24 hours. If
this is suspected, it will take only a minute or two to check the length of the sow's belly with the
PregTector. The uterine artery will be much in evidence, but this is no longer significant, as it will
continue to be detectable for up to three weeks after farrowing, as the uterus returns normal
following the pregnancy. However, if the faster fetal pulse can be heard, this is definite proof that a
live fetus is in the uterus. Steps can now be taken, for example manual intervention, or an injection
or oxytocin to restart contractions, to deliver the remaining fetus or fetuses as quickly as possible.

9. Pregnancy detection of outdoor sows using the doppler PregTector

Pregnancy detection of outdoor sows is no less important than their indoor counterparts. As with
most procedures carried out on outdoor sows, it can be a little more difficult, but steps can be
taken to smooth the way.
Doppler pregnancy detectors like the PregTector work by detection the vital movements of
pregnancy: blood flow in the uterine artery and umbilical cord, and the movements of the fetal
heart itself. These movements cause small changes in the frequency of returned echoes, which are
amplified by the PregTector and which closely resemble how we might expect these structures to
sound. Movements of the sow herself are much greater than the movements associated with
pregnancy, and will inevitably tend to 'swamp' what we are looking for.
The PregTector has a system of audio filters which 'target' the instrument at the range of
frequencies we are looking for. This results in a definite tendency to find the sounds more quickly,
which is very helpful with unrestrained sows. But some of the frequencies associated with sow
movement are within the targeted range, and a part of the noise results from the changes in
pressure between the probe and the sow caused by movement of both sow and operator, and
these cannot be filtered out without severely limiting sensitivity of the detector. Therefore it remains
important that the sow should be as quiet as can be arranged.
Many outdoor breeders are successfully using the PregTector, and their experience can be useful to
others starting out on this road.
Fist, one or two main points to mention:
The uterus becomes bigger, and therefore easier to find, day by day. The later you can leave
diagnosis the easier it will be to locate. Whilst the increased blood flow in the uterine artery can be
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