Which syringe gun to buy?

[Chapin81]

I'm looking into the allflex 50ml planning on using it for brahman cattle any suggestions on length and GA of the needle I should use I've read some people use 18GA or 16GA and 1 to 1 1/2 Long is this right?
Thanks

 

[wbvs58]

What and how much of it are you injecting? That is the key to your question.

Ken

 

[SBMF 2015]

I have both 25 and 50 ml Alflex syringes. Depending on what dose is required I like the 25's better. When you are giving a 2ml dose it actually feels like you are moving the plunger in the syringe.
As far as needles; 18ga is to small for any thing but baby calves. I use 16ga x 5/8" for sub Q in calves , 16ga x 3 /4" for sub Q in yearlings and cows, and 14ga x 1" for thick stuff like wormer .
The only time I use 1 1/2" needles is when I give Lutalyce .

 

[okiek]

Love my Allflex guns. We're probably all a little different on needles. I personally use 1" or less for sub Q injections and 1 1/2' for everything IM.

 

[Chapin81]

What and how much of it are you injecting? That is the key to your question.

Ken

I'm looking to use it Ivermectin and Fortified B Complex or something similar, vitamin A&D.
Our vet takes care of the other vaccines 2x a year, like anthrax,bovine rabies and other things they vaccinate against. I just started last month with complex B for the first time and the cows are getting back to their normal weight post drought.

 

[Buck Randall]

I have both 25 and 50 ml Alflex syringes. Depending on what dose is required I like the 25's better. When you are giving a 2ml dose it actually feels like you are moving the plunger in the syringe.
As far as needles; 18ga is to small for any thing but baby calves. I use 16ga x 5/8" for sub Q in calves , 16ga x 3 /4" for sub Q in yearlings and cows, and 14ga x 1" for thick stuff like wormer .
The only time I use 1 1/2" needles is when I give Lutalyce .

I disagree with you on the needle sizes. 18g works fine for almost all vaccines, and 16g is enough for thicker stuff. I've never used a 14 g for anything other than large IV doses.

I use 18g or 20g for hormone injections. The less tissue damage you cause with the needle, the better your injection works.

 

[SBMF 2015]

I have both 25 and 50 ml Alflex syringes. Depending on what dose is required I like the 25's better. When you are giving a 2ml dose it actually feels like you are moving the plunger in the syringe.
As far as needles; 18ga is to small for any thing but baby calves. I use 16ga x 5/8" for sub Q in calves , 16ga x 3 /4" for sub Q in yearlings and cows, and 14ga x 1" for thick stuff like wormer .
The only time I use 1 1/2" needles is when I give Lutalyce .

I disagree with you on the needle sizes. 18g works fine for almost all vaccines, and 16g is enough for thicker stuff. I've never used a 14 g for anything other than large IV doses.

I use 18g or 20g for hormone injections. The less tissue damage you cause with the needle, the better your injection works.

That may be true, but I've had more than one cow bend a 16 x 1 1/² just by flexing their neck.
If you ever use much Nuflor in January a 14 x 1 becomes your best friend.
If I am IV ing glucose or cal dex I use either a 14 x 2 or a 12x 2

 

[76 Bar]

The less tissue damage you cause with the needle, the better your injection works.

Concur. Experience with respective product viscosity coupled with proper restraint is vital to choosing a needle gauge/length that minimizes injection site damage as well as potential leakage.

 

[Buck Randall]

I have both 25 and 50 ml Alflex syringes. Depending on what dose is required I like the 25's better. When you are giving a 2ml dose it actually feels like you are moving the plunger in the syringe.
As far as needles; 18ga is to small for any thing but baby calves. I use 16ga x 5/8" for sub Q in calves , 16ga x 3 /4" for sub Q in yearlings and cows, and 14ga x 1" for thick stuff like wormer .
The only time I use 1 1/2" needles is when I give Lutalyce .

I disagree with you on the needle sizes. 18g works fine for almost all vaccines, and 16g is enough for thicker stuff. I've never used a 14 g for anything other than large IV doses.

I use 18g or 20g for hormone injections. The less tissue damage you cause with the needle, the better your injection works.

That may be true, but I've had more than one cow bend a 16 x 1 1/² just by flexing their neck.
If you ever use much Nuflor in January a 14 x 1 becomes your best friend.
If I am IV ing glucose or cal dex I use either a 14 x 2 or a 12x 2

I rarely use Nuflor for that reason. Too much injection volume and too hard to syringe.

 

[TCRanch]

I have a 50ml Alflex that I like okay but my preference is actually a cheap one I picked up at Orscheln Farm & Home. It just draws in the antibiotic/vaccine easier. That said, the only time I use a repeater syringe is if I'm working on either one cow/calf or a couple - in which case I switch out the needles in between.

I almost always use 18x1 for vaccines, 18x1.5 for Lute, 16x3/4 for LA300 or Resflor Gold (and warm it up prior in the winter).

 

[Chapin81]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I was told the 18GA needles get bent Unless my guys not doing it right these are the ones he is currently using.

 

[TCRanch]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I was told the 18GA needles get bent Unless my guys not doing it right these are the ones he is currently using.

Any needle can get bent if the animal is not properly restrained. Reusable (in your pic) are more durable than disposable.

 

[Ebenezer]

First one I bought was an imported (maybe German) all metal one. Lasted about 2 years or less. It quit metering the correct dosage. Alflex have been good. Needles are another topic. I use one needle per animal on cattle so I prefer the disposable needles and good restraint. Nothing worse than a dull needle or a contaminated needle to either cause lumps or transfer problems.

 

[Buck Randall]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I was told the 18GA needles get bent Unless my guys not doing it right these are the ones he is currently using.

I recommend the Monoject aluminum hub needles. A box of 100 is around $20.00. you can give around 10 shots before they start to get dull, then replace them.

If your cows are thrashing in the chute and bending needles, it might be because they don't enjoy being jabbed with a dull harpoon. Most cows hardly notice a sharp 18g or 20g needle.

 

[76 Bar]

First one I bought was an imported (maybe German) all metal one. Lasted about 2 years or less. It quit metering the correct dosage.

Thinking it might have been a Hauptner? My DVM highly recommended them. Pricey. In spite of replacing the washers etc after a few years of use I ceased using it due to failure to provide the correct dosage.

 

[gcreekrch]

Depending on how many cattle you have and how often you work them, a few disposable syringes are likely your best choice. All types of guns will have the rubber parts dry out if not used often enough to stay lubricated. We use up several of the bottle top guns every year regardless of how often they used.

 

[JMJ Farms]

Depending on how many cattle you have and how often you work them, a few disposable syringes are likely your best choice. All types of guns will have the rubber parts dry out if not used often enough to stay lubricated. We use up several of the bottle top guns every year regardless of how often they used.

I've had good luck using vegetable oil to lubricator rubber parts of syringes. But rarely do it bc I don't usually keep any vegetable oil in my truck. Only if they make it into the house for cleaning.

 

[Chapin81]

Depending on how many cattle you have and how often you work them, a few disposable syringes are likely your best choice. All types of guns will have the rubber parts dry out if not used often enough to stay lubricated. We use up several of the bottle top guns every year regardless of how often they used.

I guess that makes sense. We are working with 320 animals max, however due to poor rational grazing management we are forced to reduce our numbers to 200 animals during the dry months which is usually 4 months out of the whole year.

 

[Chapin81]

Depending on how many cattle you have and how often you work them, a few disposable syringes are likely your best choice. All types of guns will have the rubber parts dry out if not used often enough to stay lubricated. We use up several of the bottle top guns every year regardless of how often they used. As far as working then we used to only work then 2x a year but have now switched to monthly vitamins and providing minerals salt everyday.

I guess that makes sense. We are working with 320 animals max, however due to poor rational grazing management we are forced to reduce our numbers to 200 animals during the dry months which is usually 4 months out of the whole year.

 

[Silver]

I think this is a Hauptner. We've had a couple of them for over 30 years. Every so often I try something else, but end up going back to these. They just work. And they are accurate. I'd hate to think how much medicine has gone through these things over the years.