The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Smallholding => Equipment => Topic started by: Daleswoman on May 22, 2015, 11:05:36 am

Title: Injection/vaccination guns
Post by: Daleswoman on May 22, 2015, 11:05:36 am: I'm thinking of buying a vaccination gun to administer heptavac etc but am a bit dazzled by the range available and the wide variation in price. Does anyone have any recommendations?
Title: Re: Injection/vaccination guns
Post by: Foobar on May 22, 2015, 11:40:20 am: How many animals are you needing to inject at any one time?
Title: Re: Injection/vaccination guns
Post by: Rosemary on May 22, 2015, 12:04:58 pm: We have this one and we think it's great http://www.fearing.co.uk/STV-bottle-mount-vaccinator (http://www.fearing.co.uk/STV-bottle-mount-vaccinator)
Title: Re: Injection/vaccination guns
Post by: Daleswoman on May 22, 2015, 02:22:57 pm: Foobar I've recently increased my sheep flock and have got 12 lambs and 10 adult sheep. Am not looking forward to injecting 12 lambs individually.
Title: Re: Injection/vaccination guns
Post by: Foobar on May 22, 2015, 02:43:01 pm: Well you can either get a bottle mounted injector as Rosemary suggests, or get a repeat injector like this one:

http://wynnstayonline.co.uk/phillips-repeater-injector-gun-25ml.html (http://wynnstayonline.co.uk/phillips-repeater-injector-gun-25ml.html)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkP-MCZO2FM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkP-MCZO2FM)

No tubes, not bottles, I like mine very much :). 25ml, so at 2ml doses you can do 12 injections in one fill.

I would also advise you can put a Sterimatic sleeve on the end too (of either sort of injector!) to disinfect the needle between each sheep:
https://www.youtube.com/user/sterimatic/videos (https://www.youtube.com/user/sterimatic/videos)
Title: Re: Injection/vaccination guns
Post by: Daleswoman on May 22, 2015, 03:24:25 pm: I've decided on a bottle-mounted Sterimatic system for now, will see how it goes. Thanks for the advice - very helpful!
Title: Re: Injection/vaccination guns
Post by: mab on May 22, 2015, 09:05:34 pm: This is a very timely thread for me as I'm in the same position as you DW (10 ewes and 11 lambs) and I was thinking I don't want to repeat last years hep-p shenanigans - still deciding which one to go for...

Trouble is, I think my biggest problem is getting the needle in right for subcutaneous injections - the chap in your vid makes it look so easy Foobar, but with my easycares I find it hard to 'tent the skin'.
Title: Re: Injection/vaccination guns
Post by: Slimjim on May 23, 2015, 08:28:34 am: I bought the bottle mounted Sterimatic gun when I discovered I didn't have the three hands to hold the sheep, the gun, and the separate tube - connected bottle of the other type. I did put the bottle in my shirt top pocket but it was still awkward and not as slick and flexible as the bottle mounted gun.
mab, you don't have to worry about tenting the skin because the spring loaded needle only projects skin deep when it is depressed. In fact you cannot get your fingers close to the injection site because of the Sterimatic thingy that sterilizes the needle as it passes through it. It means you do have a spare hand to separate the fleece and ensure penetration. You'll love it.
Title: Re: Injection/vaccination guns
Post by: mab on May 23, 2015, 09:24:09 pm: well that nails it SJ - I'm ordering one ASAP 8) . Thx.
Title: Re: Injection/vaccination guns
Post by: mab on June 03, 2015, 11:42:19 am: ruddy brilliant!

It takes less time to do all eleven lambs than it took to do one before.

Why didn't I buy one before?

cheers

M
Title: Re: Injection/vaccination guns
Post by: Thyme on June 03, 2015, 12:02:11 pm: I also bought the Sterimatic after reading this and used it to Heptavac my lambs. As predicted, I love it. :thumbsup: