Lambs with abscesses in slaughter house

[beaconsboy]

We have had a few come back today. It was from there oviac injection. I do aim for the neck but find it easier in front of there shoulder. My worry is how many more will have them. Will they go in time. You can't see anything by eye. All advise please.

 

[MDL POWERUP]

Auction them instead? Less likely to come back on you

 

[David.]

RPF?
Had 20 on kill sheet two wks ago, will be a meat inspector a bit keen, nothing visible live, Ovivac at least a month previous, lambs injected dry, high up neck and Sterimatic used. No pay weight docked.
Had it once before, few yrs ago, didn't happen next load.

 

[Woolless]

Inject them on the neck and keep away from the shoulder. An abscess can track in behind the scapula, making a right mess. You may even be docked for a full shoulder.

 

[beaconsboy]

Yes we were docked. I saw the pictures and it wasn't great. My worry is how many more are like it. Will it clear up in time.

 

[gatepost]

At last count 250 000 carcases have bits condemned for abscesses, hopefully you won't get too many more ,but chances are, as you've done them in the same place presumably with the same needle there will be some.

 

[Man_in_black]

Yes we were docked. I saw the pictures and it wasn't great. My worry is how many more are like it. Will it clear up in time.

Sell them live & learn from it (injection location)

 

[Bury the Trash]

...pass the problem on to someone else, charming


Try to find some lose skin and go in sideways with a 18g 3/4 inch needle, not straight in, thats why I don't use sterimatic because you can 'feel' where youre going so to speak ….using a clamp is heck of tool for vaccinating.
one of the the hardest things is getting them bone dry enough to do the job.

 

[Jackov Altraids]

I inject ewes as Bury the Trash prescribes. Many years ago, come shearing, a large percentage had an abscess at that point.
Lesson learnt, I keep the needle changed. I think if you supply M&S, all needles have to be single use only.
I don't give lambs any routine injections to avoid any problem.

To answer your question, it will be the number you used the same needle with after it became infected.

 

[Paddington]

Heptavac can produce abscesses up to 5% of injected sheep, according to the manufacturer. We had problems with the maternal lines of two or three ewes. They would get abscesses every year as would their lambs, but the other sheep were unaffected . Tried injecting them first, but they still came up. Eventually culled the ewes.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Inject them on the neck and keep away from the shoulder. An abscess can track in behind the scapula, making a right mess. You may even be docked for a full shoulder.

Right up high on the neck is the place.

I worked on the lamb chain as a trimmer for a couple of seasons and literally saw 100's of injection site abscesses.
It's slower to pull up a tent behind the ear and go in sideways, but it does save making a mess of the carcass.
At least if it occurs right up there where the neck is cut, it's mostly going to come off at pelting and reduce the contam risk, or be a small amount to trim... so it's a worthwhile extra few minutes per year, the sh!t costs enough without adding the price of a shoulder or ten into it
.. new needles are cheap too .

 

[beardface]

I use half inch 18g now gone off syerimatic, bloody numb to use and had as many if not more absecces than just changing needle regularly. Needles cost pennies so easy to change every 25-50or so. Only steri now for cattle as bigger target and toxo as it protects me more, saying that worst needle pr*ck I had was off a sterimatic, sheep moved its head at wrong time and shoved it full depth into my lower finger, luckily just missed the tendon otherwise would of been an open up and scrape job

As for method I put my hand around ear area and use thumb and first finger to pull skin if that makes sense, if IM I just stab angling slightly out.