Ultrasound Certification Program

Trans-abdominal Pregnancy Ultrasound Assessments

It is the position of the Canadian Sheep Federation that pregnancy in small ruminants is not an illness needing to be diagnosed but part of the continuous cycle of normal farm practices that allows farms to be productive and profitable. Knowing whether a ewe or doe is pregnant or open is increasingly important to flock/herd management and access to accurate and affordable trans-abdominal ultrasound is becoming an important management tool for making that assessment. Trans-abdominal ultrasound scanning is a safe, humane and non-invasive process for providing pregnancy assessments.

It is important that anyone involved in providing a pregnancy assessment service in small ruminants be fully trained and competent in the use of fully functioning, well maintained equipment and be certified by a national, industry led certifying body. It is important that farm operators have confidence in the abilities, accuracy and affordability of independent technicians, veterinarian technicians and/or veterinarians performing pregnancy assessments. The Canadian Sheep Federation's position is that trans-abdominal ultrasound assessments may be performed by any trained and competent individual regardless of professional designation.

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Upcoming Training Opportunities

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Saskatchewan Sheep Development Board: Sheep Ultrasound Pregnancy Course – Beginner & Advanced 

• Dates & Format

  • Beginner Course: September 29 – October 1, 2025 — includes half‑day theory and two‑and‑a‑half days of hands‑on scanning at Hoogenboom sheep farm near Melville, SK.
    Note: This session is already full.

  • Advanced Course: October 2, 2025 — one day of supervised advanced scanning practice. Saskatchewan Sheep Development Board+5cansheep+5cansheep+5Saskatchewan Sheep Development Board

• Content & Benefits

  • Fulfills the theory component of Canada’s Small Ruminant Ultrasound Pregnancy Assessment Training and Certification Program.

  • Covers ultrasound setup, scanning procedures, identifying pregnancy landmarks, and decision‑making strategies. SDSU Extension+5Saskatchewan Sheep Development Board+5cansheep+5

• Target Participants

  • Beginner: Producers with no prior scanning experience.

  • Advanced: Technicians, veterinarians, vet techs seeking to demonstrate competency for certification. Saskatchewan Sheep Development Board+12Saskatchewan Sheep Development Board+12Saskatchewan Sheep Breeders Association+12

• Tuition

  • Beginner: CA $950 (includes equipment rental, supplies, lunch, coffee breaks)

  • Advanced: CA $550 (equipment, supplies and lunch) AllEvents+9Saskatchewan Sheep Development Board+9Advanced Farm Systems+9

• Registration & Capacity

  • Limited to 12 participants for optimal one‑on‑one training in the beginner level.

  • Contact SK Sheep / SSDB directly to be placed on a waitlist or inquire about future sessions.

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Ontario Sheep Farmers: Sheep Ultrasound Pregnancy Course – Beginner & Advanced

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