Animal and Veterinary Sciences Livestock Ultrasound Production Equipment

Everyone relies on agriculture – – Food, fiber, and natural resources are things humans need every day. Agriculture educational programs not only teach students how to be farmers, but also train tomorrow’s scientists, nutritionists, teachers and so much more. A combination of classroom instruction and applied agriculture experiences outside of the classroom establishes the foundation for educated agriculturists.

Hands-on education remains a large part of any successful Animal Science program and prepares graduates with the skills and knowledge for successful employment post-graduation. At Cal Poly Pomona the livestock animal units (cattle, sheep, and swine) are the teaching laboratories for all our Animal and Veterinary Science students.

The Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences is seeking support to upgrade an outdated ultrasound system. A modernized new system will enhance the students educational experience, provide a stronger foundation for additional curriculum courses, and heighten their employment opportunities in the animal industry sector. Students within AVS production, advanced physiology, veterinary technician program, and capstone/research courses will benefit from an upgraded modernized livestock ultrasound system. Students enrolled in these majors within the Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences must take required courses which involve the handling/studying of industry livestock production techniques.

The use of ultrasound in the livestock production industry has multiple roles, the major two roles are early pregnancy detection and carcass traits. Upgrading the livestock ultrasound production equipment will provide the AVS students with better tools to understand the mechanisms and role of reproductive physiology in livestock. In addition, the new equipment can be used for ultrasound scanning for carcass traits, a useful tool for obtaining valuable carcass information from a live animal. Scanning for body composition provides students an appreciation of breeding animals for use in genetic improvement efforts of livestock. These ultrasound skills are vital to the impact CPP AVS students can have in the livestock industry upon graduation. Livestock production can be more efficient and produce a type of animal that improved a farm's production capabilities and efficiency with the use of livestock ultrasound production techniques.

Animal and Veterinary Science students represent 35% of the Don B. Huntley College of Agriculture student cohort. Students enrolled in the 3 majors in the AVS department will benefit from upgrading the livestock ultrasound production equipment, a total of over 800 undergraduate students will be impacted. 

Upgrading the livestock ultrasound production equipment will be an investment to CPP university science graduates. This investment will permit these graduates to be competitive in various employment directions including general animal production, animal health and resource utilization. Providing the AVS students with industry standard experiences in their livestock production courses will have a good favorable overall impression and the students will relate it back to their CPP University education! Data from Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (2021) indicates a total number 1.16 million jobs in agriculture with the highest growth found in the livestock sector, an 18% increase over 2020. 

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