Broke off needle?

[True Grit Farms]

How do you get a broke off neddle out of the cow? I had our county extension agent ask me this question today and had no answer. The Tomclovin post got me thinking about this again today. My guess is a pair of tongs to hold the head sorta still and just cut the neddle out?

 

[sstterry]

How do you get a broke off neddle out of the cow? I had our county extension agent ask me this question today and had no answer. The Tomclovin post got me thinking about this again today. My guess is a pair of tongs to hold the head sorta still and just cut the neddle out?

This had never even occurred to me before, but a quick search educated me that is is a real safety hazard in the beef to the consumer. The only advice I could give would be to use a small metal detector to pinpoint the location of the needle.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074GP3QBD/?tag=cattletoday00-20

 

[bball]

A pair of hemastats is invaluable for this..with a scalpel PRN

 

[True Grit Farms]

How do you get a broke off neddle out of the cow? I had our county extension agent ask me this question today and had no answer. The Tomclovin post got me thinking about this again today. My guess is a pair of tongs to hold the head sorta still and just cut the neddle out?

This had never even occurred to me before, but a quick search educated me that is is a real safety hazard in the beef to the consumer. The only advice I could give would be to use a small metal detector to pinpoint the location of the needle.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074GP3QBD/?tag=cattletoday00-20

Well there's no way I'm leaving a broke off needle in an animal and sending it on it's way to be slaughtered. There's no way of knowing what was used or by whom. It could be a dope head or someone from another country that wants US dead.

 

[Caustic Burno]

A pair of hemastats is invaluable for this..with a scalpel PRN

20 lb magnet worked for me, made a small incision out it came.

 

[wbvs58]

Keep them restrained and shave the hair closely and look for entry point and mark it. Usually the skin has moved over the top so very difficult to locate. Local anaesthetic is neededand skin cut fairly wide to expose the muscle and look for small haemorhage/ haematoma and search from there. Not easy.

Ken

 

[bball]

A pair of hemastats is invaluable for this..with a scalpel PRN

20 lb magnet worked for me, made a small incision out it came.

Another great idea CB!
We have had a few break off along the way, but always knew right where it was, so locating was never an issue.

 

[Nesikep]

I use as thick and short a needle as I can, and I ALWAYS get aluminum mounted needles, not plastic ones on the cows.. for calves where you don't need to fight them I don't mind plastic.. Also, Luer locks on everything. Replace needle if bent, it's probably blunt anyhow... an ounce of prevention!

 

[Redgully]

A pair of hemastats is invaluable for this..with a scalpel PRN

20 lb magnet worked for me, made a small incision out it came.

Works well also if you get metal in your eye. Rare earth magnets are worth having around and keep them in a plastic bag so they dont pick up heaps of rubbish to them. When taking plastic off you need to fold it onto itself or the rubbish just zaps onto your magnet.

 

[JMJ Farms]

I've never thought about this. Never had it happen and hope I don't. One of the first things I learned back when I started fooling with cows is if a cow jumps or fights I don't try to stop her and I don't try to hold on to the syringe tightly. The needle is going where she goes so my hand goes with her as well or I turn loose. I have very little problem with jumping animals and proper equipment to restrain them goes a long way. Hope I never break a needle but I see how it could happen.

 

[Aaron]

A pair of hemastats is invaluable for this..with a scalpel PRN

20 lb magnet worked for me, made a small incision out it came.

Excellent idea on the magnet.

I always use detectable needles and change often. They are stronger than any other needle types and almost never break. But if they do, and can't be retrieved, the scanner at the plant will find them.

 

[Bigfoot]

I have broken several off in my lifetime. Almost never an easy recovery. I cant remember ever retrieving one from the same hole it went in. I wouldn't have thought a magnet would be much use. Is the magnet strong enough to draw it back out through the hide?

 

[Caustic Burno]

I have broken several off in my lifetime. Almost never an easy recovery. I cant remember ever retrieving one from the same hole it went in. I wouldn't have thought a magnet would be much use. Is the magnet strong enough to draw it back out through the hide?

Twenty pound magnet is for picking up twenty pounds that's a stout son of a gun.
I have made a small incision and pulled it out.
You can get a bigger magnet.

 

[TCRanch]

I use as thick and short a needle as I can, and I ALWAYS get aluminum mounted needles, not plastic ones on the cows.. for calves where you don't need to fight them I don't mind plastic.. Also, Luer locks on everything. Replace needle if bent, it's probably blunt anyhow... an ounce of prevention!

If I'm using the repeater syringe I use 16 x 3/4 but have a hard time finding that size in a disposable needle/syringe. Always luer lock!!

 

[76 Bar]

16 x 3/4 Disposable Aluminum Hub:

https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=2E87BECA-7B6A-11D5-A192-00B0D0204AE5


https://www.jefferspet.com/products...84999fa2600f000002b9/5338849a9fa2600f000002ce

 

[True Grit Farms]

I use as thick and short a needle as I can, and I ALWAYS get aluminum mounted needles, not plastic ones on the cows.. for calves where you don't need to fight them I don't mind plastic.. Also, Luer locks on everything. Replace needle if bent, it's probably blunt anyhow... an ounce of prevention!

If I'm using the repeater syringe I use 16 x 3/4 but have a hard time finding that size in a disposable needle/syringe. Always luer lock!!

We use 16x 5/8 on our automatic syringes. I just inject at a downward angle no tenting, Covexin 8 in one hand and Triangle 10 HB in the other.

 

[TCRanch]

16 x 3/4 Disposable Aluminum Hub:

https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=2E87BECA-7B6A-11D5-A192-00B0D0204AE5


https://www.jefferspet.com/products...84999fa2600f000002b9/5338849a9fa2600f000002ce

Thank you!! I never realized they would work with the luer lock but Jeffers does state both. I generally just buy the 18 x 1 poly because when I'm working cattle I have all the shots pre-filled in disposable syringes/needles - and separated in individual coolers by vaccine, cow/calf/bull/heifer and which pasture. Anal, much?

 

[76 Bar]

You're welcome! FWIW I've dealt with both companies for decades. With very few exceptions, Valley Vet has the best prices plus they continue to use UPS. Have had a couple of wrecks with Fed X overnight vaccine deliveries via Jeffers. They made good on it but it was irritating.
Trust me, we'd go toe to toe in the anal department and especially regarding herd health protocol. ; )))