Vetsonic Ltd, based at Malton, was formed in 1987 to help the UK livestock industry catch up and compete with the best breeders in Europe.

At that time it was clear, both in the dairy and pig-breeding sectors, that even the most progressive of British farmers were not achieving the same results as their competitors around the world.

Vetsonic challenged current thinking and took an innovative approach, pioneering artificial insemination techniques in pigs and cattle that brought widespread success with animal fertility rates improving by more than 25 per cent, allowing UK farmers to compete with the best in the world.

And Vetsonic is also looking for a breakthrough as Small Business Of The Year at The Press Business Awards 2013.

Ray Rochester, Vetsonic’s founder and managing director, is a leading expert on animal welfare, fertility and reproduction.

He says: “Innovation, training, supply – these three words encapsulate Vetsonic’s mission. Vetsonic is one of the pioneers of veterinary ultrasound, the first in the UK to offer a service to both pig and dairy farms.

“We provide training courses to veterinarians, students and non-veterinarian technicians from around the world and by working with and training students at the UK’s leading veterinary schools, we raise our profile and reputation within the veterinary community.”

Having been successful in the livestock industry, Vetsonic is turning its attention to veterinary surgeons who treat pets, a much larger sector of the animal health market, and also has a flourishing export department.

Small enough to offer a personal service yet large enough to support its biggest customers, Vetsonic is able to quickly react to customer requests. Its positive, customer-centric approach has enabled the business to develop successfully and forms the foundation for further growth.