demonstrated in Waimarino

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 2, Issue 12, 21 August 1984, Page 15

demonstrated in Waimarino

ultra-sonic device was available. But while this was a smaller and more portable piece of equipment it wasn't as reliable and operators took much longer — sometimes months — to learn how to read the telltake signs with any degree of confidence and certainty. "However our x-ray technology has overtaken and superseded the ultrasonic method and we can now diagnose, with up to 98% accuracy for Romneys, 95% for Perendales and the others in between, not only if the ewe is pregnant but the exact number of lambs she is

carrying." "This is a tremendous advantage to farmers at that stage of pregnancy to ensure optimum feed conditions for the remainder of the gestation period...particularly when feed is scarce and has to be rationed." On a recent visit with the testing rig to Hawkes Bay, where a sustained drought had severely limited pasture growth, Mr King said that sheep farmers were prepared to pay up to $1 each to have their multiple bearing ewes diagnosed. "Where feed was plentiful, such as in the Waimarino, it

probably wasn't as important to identify the different groups and a more realistic figure to cover the cost of providing the service to farmers would be about 60 cents per ewe," said Mr King. "However, we haven't been charging for the service while we've been experimenting with and developing the equipment... instead the service has been provided free in return for feedback from the farmers concerned." In reply to a question about the future of the rig and the x-ray method Mr

King said that the DSIR would no longer be interested in conducting further trials. "For us five years ago it was a problem that called for a solution. We met the challenge as scientists and have developed a machine that is unique in the world." "Having solved that problem it is now over to the commercial world to take it over and operate it. We will be looking for new problems and challenges next year." "As a screening tool the machine would have a number of different industrial applications and there has already been spme interest shown in it...including one enquiry from America," he said.