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NEWS RELEASE

05-15-02

Contacts:
Tom Baas, Animal Science, (515) 294-6728
Sherry Hoyer, Iowa Pork Industry Center, (515) 294-4496
Teddi Barron, News Service, (515) 294-4778

ISU HOSTS NATION'S ONLY SWINE ULTRASOUND TRAINING, MAY 20-21

AMES, Iowa -- Ultrasonic scanning is widely used by swine producers, breeders, veterinarians and others to measure fat and muscle area in live swine. The nation's only training and certification for swine ultrasound technicians will be at Iowa State University, May 20-21.

Participants from 10 states and Canada will attend the conference. The program will provide information on swine anatomy and physiology. It also will assess the accuracy of technicians who use ultrasonic scanning procedures to measure backfat, loin-muscle area and loin-muscle depth in breeding swine.

Live animal ultrasound provides a convenient and accurate alternative to post-slaughter carcass measurement and is often used for genetic improvement and at competitions.

On Monday, May 20, participants will learn about fat and muscle deposition patterns, backfat measurements and carcass evaluation. Scanning procedures and image interpretation will be demonstrated.

On Tuesday, May 21, participants will attend a scanning practicum at the Story County Fairgrounds, Nevada. Each participant will scan and estimate backfat and loin-muscle area and or/loin-muscle depth on 50 live pigs. Actual carcass measurements will be compared to each person's estimate.

Those who pass written and practical examinations at the conference will be granted a two-year certification by the National Swine Improvement Federation (NSIF).

Sponsors for the NSIF National Ultrasound training and Certification Conference are NSIF, the National Pork Board and the Iowa Pork Industry Center at Iowa State University.

For additional information, contact the Iowa Pork Industry Center, (515) 294-4103.

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Note to Editors: Reporters and photographers are invited to attend the two sessions on Tuesday, May 21, in which conference participants will use ultrasonic scanning on 50 live pigs. The sessions are at 8:45 a.m.-11 a.m. and 1 p.m.-3:15 p.m. at the Story County Fairgrounds, located three blocks south of old Highway 30 in Nevada. Contact Teddi Barron, 294-4778, or Sherry Hoyer, 294-4496, for more information.