Muscle Scanner

I am a qualified muscle scanner for Sheep Genetics (SG), offering on-farm muscle scanning right across Australia and am accredited to scan all breeds on sheep and goats.  These scan results are normally submitted (by you) to SG, although some studs display these results as ‘raw data’ on sale / show stock.  Every 2 years I have to pass a repeatability test to calculate the consistency and accuracy of my scanning.

Sheep Genetics is the best way of evaluating your stock’s performance against other’s, using industry recognized breeding values.  This takes out all the environmental impacts, and gives you an estimation of the sheep’s genetic merit.  For more information, please contact me or visit the Sheep Genetics Website.

If you are new to scanning then please contact me with any questions you may have, but here are some points to make scanning day easier.  I have clients that scan 20 animals up to several thousand, so no job is too small or big.  Please contact me early as I work runs around different areas of the states.

I can scan around 100 sheep per hour, so the flow of sheep in critical.  Either up a race or out of a small pen works best.  I’ve scanned in a huge range of scenarios, so we can make anything work!  I plan to have a break every couple hours, as standing in one spot looking at a screen gets tiring, both physically and mentally. Depending on the set-up / sheep, I will scan up to 850 per day, but I usually aim for around 750, or to finish a mob / property.

Contact for more information or to book
RAC Farming Sheep Muscle Scanning

More Information

What I Supply

  • Crate - to scan sheep in (for most consistent results I scan in my customized crate)
  • Panel Reader - for Eid Tags
  • Booklet – if needed for visual recording
  • Truetest SR5000 - for collecting weights and recording data into
  • Gazebo – if we need to scan in outside, tho it is best if we are in undercover yards / shed
  • Generator – if there is no power available, but please let me know before hand

What You Supply

  • Helpers –  depending on your set up you will need 2 – 3 people helping.
    If you have Eid tags, 2 people is generally enough, if your using visual tags, you will most likely need 3 helpers, but please discuss with me.
  • Sheep / Goats – Please ensure they have either Eid or Visual tags in them.
  • Stock need to maintain the same level of ‘gut weight’ throughout scanning, so for large number you may need to plan to bring part of a mob in and leave the others out, or fed in yards.  Please discuss this with me prior scanning date.
  • Sheep need to be a minimum of 30kgs to get good quality results.  They need to have a range of fat with no less then 1.5mm.
  • Wool length -  the length of wool doesn’t matter.  It is important that they are not just off shears though, as this will unfairly disadvantage them and they can be flighty.  Ideally plan not to scan within 3 weeks of shearing, but please discuss with me.
  • Cleanskin Breeds – ALL cleanskin breeds can be scanned, although there is the odd sheep (about 1 in a 1000) that can’t be scanned.
  • Extension Lead – I carry one, but please have power close-by
  • Spare panels – some spare panels are always handy
  • Anti backing bars / race – some sort of anti backing race make the job a lot easier