How can I give a vaccine when she moves so much?

[Anonymous]

Help! how can I administer a vaccine when the cow moves so much!!! I tie her head to a post, pulled the rope tight so she cannot get away, but she moves so much that I cannot get her still enough to inject her. I tried once and the needle broke off and got stuck in her. What should I do? I do not have a milking stall. Thanks, Rose

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[Anonymous]

> Help! how can I administer a
> vaccine when the cow moves so
> much!!! I tie her head to a post,
> pulled the rope tight so she
> cannot get away, but she moves so
> much that I cannot get her still
> enough to inject her. I tried once
> and the needle broke off and got
> stuck in her. What should I do? I
> do not have a milking stall.
> Thanks, Rose

Put all vaccines in the neck. Under the skin if the vaccine gives you a choice. If you haven't seen this done, get some one to show you or post back.

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[Anonymous]

If you have an extra gate panel you can squeeze her against the fence or the barn and then give her the injection.

 

[Anonymous]

If you have her head tied to a post and the post is in a fence line - just run the rope around the post a couple of times and then around her side securing it to the next post in the fence line. Have done this in locations where there isn't a chute or alley.



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[Anonymous]

Put her in a trailer and take her to someone that has a good head chute. I would work toward building a good head chute.Putting ropes on cattle places way too much stress on the animal and you!

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[Anonymous]

Were you able to get the needle out that broke off? I would try and borrow a head gate from someone, even if I had to trailer her to the head gate.

it is much safer in the long run for both of you, and shots should all be given in the neck as per BQA new rules, no excuses, all but the rare beef animal end up in the food chain, thus, we need to protect the most salable portions of meat.

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[Anonymous]

Purchase a slapshot. It is a piece of poly tubing that is about 18 to 24 inches long and goes between the syringe and the needle. This allows a lot of movement on the needle end and you can hold the syringe nearly stationary. The chances of breaking a needle are almost nill. You will have to allow for 2 to 3 cc's of vaccine or medication in the hose of the slapshot. I have even used it without restraining the animal and just using a gate as already mentioned. And I have roped quite a few also. You can't have a headgate available every time a critter gets sick unless you have half a day to waste rounding one up from the pastures.

It is also handy around a squeeze chute when doing large numbers of animals. They reuce the chances of breaking barrels and bending needles. My preference is the type that has plain ends and does not have the palm area that hog growers seem to prefer.



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[Anonymous]

>After you tie the cow to the post , you need to also tie a gatenext to the cow and then squeeze the cow agaist a wall. Tieing the gate again will limit the amount of movement of the cow. Make sure to give the shot in the neck area.

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[Anonymous]

I would recommend a slapshot.If you can,t find one try this.Hold the needle inbetween your thumb and 1st finger.Slap the cow in the neck .Attach the syringe and you are away. Use a least a 16 gauge needle. I do this lots.I think alot of the time the cow feels the slap but not the needle. Good luck



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