25.03.2024
BovIntel – launched in the UK and France this week by IMV Technologies – automatically identifies and measures key features on ultrasound images in real time as a vet carries out a scan. The software uses colour to highlight and label structures such as follicles and corpus luteums, displaying the measurements of these to the nearest millimetre. The technology has been designed to make the fertility scanning process easier and more accurate, enabling a vet to provide more informed breeding advice.
Developers behind BovIntel say the information that it provides will improve pregnancy rates and therefore overall productivity of dairy herds. Alan Picken, Imaging Innovation Director said: “Pregnancy rates are notoriously low in the US and across Europe with as low as only one in three inseminations producing a pregnancy. This is costing the industry time and money.
“Diagnostics on ovarian health is only possible through ultrasound and veterinary assessment, but not all vets are offering this service to their clients. BovIntel makes this ultrasound information more accessible to vets, and vastly increases the value and efficacy of the advice they provide to clients.
“Essentially, it enables a vet to quickly and accurately assess the ovarian health of a cow, so they can advise on how to achieve conception at the earliest opportunity. Equally, it allows them to quickly establish if a cow is unlikely to get pregnant and prevent a wasted insemination.”
The new technology also promises to reduce the fertility scanning training time of newly qualified vets, by helping them to quickly find the ovaries during a scan and giving them confidence in interpreting ultrasound images. “New vets will be able to practice independently faster and need the support of senior vets for less time, both of which brings huge benefits to their confidence and professional development and to the productivity of the business.” The technology will also be useful for universities and research organisations investigating dairy cow reproductive health.
BovIntel is available exclusively to users of IMV’s Easi-Scan:Go as a software addition to the Go:Scan app. It can be used via the viewing app, but also with BUG headsets, augmenting in colour for VGA and colour OLED. For users with mono BUG:Go headsets it will appear as grayscale on the headset screen, but in colour on the viewing app.
Using BovIntel does not require any additional hardware or training. Vets using the Go:Scan app will be offered a 30-day free trial. After the trial period they will be offered a choice of subscription or pay-as-you-scan options.
Contact person: Ms. Sorcha Stevens - sorcha.stephens@imv-technologies.com
