Sheep Vacination Needle

[GAM]

We are going to Hetavac our lambs on the weekend, what's the best size needle to use?

 

[neilo]

The one that's on the dirty syringe from the last time you did it?

 

[Norfolk Hill Farmer]

18g 1/2 inch

 

[TripleSix]

The one that's on the dirty syringe from the last time you did it?

Aka "The farm needle"

 

[Bury the Trash]

my preferred choice ..

 

[primmiemoo]

We are going to Hetavac our lambs on the weekend, what's the best size needle to use?

You use the sort that's part of a Sterimatic pack that gives automatic sanitising between sheep, and a needle guard to protect you ?

 

[David.]

As above, if you're not already on Sterimatic, do it. Feels cumbersome at first, but I wouldn't go back.

 

[neilo]

Aka "The farm needle"

Sharpened on a concrete block wall once a year, when it gets just too blunt to push in?

 

[Longlowdog]

and given a sterilising annually in 'the workshop mug' filled with almost boiling (well pretty hot) water.
Alternatively Luer Lock 18g half inch stainless steel. I'll never use a plastic bodied needle again after having a needle break out of a plastic housing into a shearling tup never to be found and resulting in the animal being put down to prevent entry in to the food chain.

 

[Exfarmer]

Its amazing how few problems we had when we had the first injectable wormers 50 years ago. Quite literally did use a needle till it was too blunt. Never remember seeing an abcess

 

[spin cycle]

sterimatic is fab .......can't imagine vacc'ing lots of sheep without it

 

[neilo]

sterimatic is fab .......can't imagine vacc'ing lots of sheep without it

I find the Sterimatic bloody awful to use. I can’t imagine forcing myself to vacc more than two sheep with it, before I was reminded why it landed in the back of the cupboard last time, when I went back to doing it ‘properly’.

18G 1/2” luer lock needles here too @GAM

 

[Longlowdog]

I use this as I only have a small number of lambs to do.

Phillips Repeater Syringe 50ml

Save up to 14% - The Phillips Repeater Syringe 50ml is an easy to use system that features a hassle free Phillips injector. To use,...

www.tannertrading.co.uk

 

[Al R]

Sharpened on a concrete block wall once a year, when it gets just too blunt to push in?

But when they’ve got a lovely spur on at least you can feel it going in. Seen people years ago push a brand new needle against a rsj to make a slight spur

 

[Bury the Trash]

I use this as I only have a small number of lambs to do.

Phillips Repeater Syringe 50ml

Save up to 14% - The Phillips Repeater Syringe 50ml is an easy to use system that features a hassle free Phillips injector. To use,...

www.tannertrading.co.uk

Have you not broken the end of the barrel off yet?

 

[Longlowdog]

Nope but I'm very particular about holding ewes or lambs firmly and lifting the skin after parting the fleece to jag underneath. Most sheep jagged get a bubble under the skin. I back off if it isn't right and try again.
I often wonder if the out of the blue big lamb deaths are not in some way related poor technique or hurried injections. When I watch others vaccinating as fast as they can walk down a race I don't believe every sheep is done just under the skin or sometimes even in the skin.
Also, having bought quite an expensive doser I try to look after it. I wash it out and store in a dark container away from sunlight and frost.

 

[Bury the Trash]

That's why I never got on with sterimatic, as I like to know exactly where the needle is , variations in condition of sheep and skin thickness even, it has to go through the skin and no further, else it either wont work or spoil the carcase or both , I change needles often as well.

Must confess to breaking 2 of those phillips repeaters tho

Will be nice and dry for the job atm mind......

 

[Longlowdog]

We've just had some much needed rain but up here it has been sheep handling weather for months. My farmer's tan is already established.
Being just a small pedigree sheep producer I change needles every dozen or so sheep but I can't say I've ever found a neck abscess when giving the second Hep' or when shearing while my friends often get them on their stock done in worse conditions and being Aberdeenshire after all a needle has to do a fair amount of work to justify the horrendous cost per unit.

 

[primmiemoo]

I've been somewhat out of action re giving jabs to the sheep, although I have been able to do the cattle. Neck abscess in the ewes noticed at lambing .

Observed at the time of jabbing the operator absentmindedly touched the tip of the vaccinator gun each time the needle was changed, and pointed it out. [Translated]: "You must be mistaken!" was the reply.

Grrr!

 

[Mc115reed]

I find the Sterimatic bloody awful to use. I can’t imagine forcing myself to vacc more than two sheep with it, before I was reminded why it landed in the back of the cupboard last time, when I went back to doing it ‘properly’.

18G 1/2” luer lock needles here too @GAM

Glad I’m not the only one but my mrs insists that I use it ??‍ nothing worse than jabbing for 10 minutes then realising the needle is bent inside the cap and wondering has that just happened or did it happen on the first sheep? No feel too them or anything