[Tamsaddle]

I always had a problem with airlocks in slapshots, but there is a very informative thread called "Slapshot" started on 5 July 2012 with a very detailed description from Oaklands as to how to avoid the airlock problem.   Well worth a read - Tamsaddle

[Beewyched]

Yes, I have experienced these same issues as both of you - air bubbles (ages spent trying to flick out the air bubbles) & part-doses left in the tube.
I don't use the slapshot for small/individual dosing - anti-bs or Oxytocin - I still use syringes (more accurate for getting the right amounts too).  I time my parasite control/Ery jabs so I'm pretty much doing most of the herd at the same time - makes life so much easier 
 
 

[P6te]

Thanks for the reminder of that post Tamsaddle .... for info I've replicated here ...

Please please do tell me Oaklands how you use a slapshot without masses of air bubbles in the tube - thanks, Tamsaddle

There are a number of ways.
 
 
If you measure the exact amount the slapshot takes (use water), then you'll know for future, ours takes just under 2ml.
 
The trick is not to fill an empty tube by sucking, but fill from the syringe.
 
If you're just doing one jab, use an oversize syringe that'll hold 2ml plus what you need to jab - eg if you need a 5ml dose use a 10ml syringe.  Ignore the slapshot, and just fill the syringe with (in the example above) 7 ml straight from the bottle.  Then remove the needle and connect the slapshot between the syringe and the needle.  Squeeze the syringe to fill the tube, thus giving you a tube with 2mm and the syringe with 5mm, Now when presses the syringe will dispense the 5mm needed.
 
If you're doing multiple jabs, or only have a syringe of the needed size then you need to use a "clean needle/dirty needle" system - just as you would without slapshot - you should not be using a needle that has entered a pig to stick back into the bottle as this can contaminate.  So proceed as follows - 2 people can make this work very quickly and effectively - if takes a lot longer to describe than to do!
 
1. Put 2mm into the syringe as you would without slapshot. 
2. Disconnect needle and keep as clean (we leave this in the bottle)
3. Connect slapshot (with a different clean needle) to syringe and fill with the 2mm.
4. Now (and this is key) make a U with the slapshot tube so that the needle end is level with the syringe end.
5. Disconnect the syringe, the tube will stay full as both ends are level
6. Connect the syringe to the clean needle in the bottle and put in the dose needed
7. Disconnect the clean needle and connect to the slapshot - jab pig.
8. Remake make the U with the slapshot tube so that the needle end is level with the syringe end.
Repeat from 5 above
 
 
Long post - much shorter to do.

[Beewyched]

Clever