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Taking blood from cattle is considered a rather difficult and traumatic procedure. In connection with different types of diseases, this procedure is done quite often. To date, blood is taken from cows from the tail vein, jugular and milk. To simplify the work, vacuum syringes have been developed, thanks to which the procedure for taking blood from the tail vein becomes completely safe.
Preparation for blood sampling from cattle
As a rule, in cows, blood is taken from the jugular vein, located in the upper third of the neck. The volume of the obtained material for research should not be less than 5 ml with anticoagulant 0,5 M EDTA.
The needles used before starting the procedure should be pre-sterilized using boiling for this purpose. It is important to keep in mind that each cow must be fenced with a new needle.
The place of taking must be disinfected. For disinfection use alcohol or 5% iodine solution. During sampling, the animal must be securely fixed – the head is tied.
After the material for research has been taken, it is worth tightly closing the tube and turning it over several times so that mixing with the anticoagulant occurs. Shaking is not allowed. Each tube is numbered according to the description.
The most effective way is to take blood from the subcaudal vein. In this case, the cow does not need to be fixed. It is recommended to store test tubes in the future at a temperature range of +4°С to +8°С. For these purposes, a refrigerator is perfect. Do not use the freezer. If clots appear in the sample taken, it is unsuitable for further research.
Methods for taking blood from cows
To date, there are several methods for taking blood from cattle. It is taken from such veins:
- jugular;
- dairy;
- tail vein.
Before carrying out the procedure, it is recommended to first fix the animal, which will prevent injury. In this state, the cow will also not be able to knock over the test tube. Before the procedure, you will need to disinfect the blood sampling site using a solution of phenol, alcohol or iodine.
Taking a sample from the jugular vein is one of the most popular methods. As a rule, the procedure is carried out early in the morning or before the cow receives food. For the procedure, the head of the animal is tied and fixed in a motionless state. The needle must be inserted at an acute angle, with the tip always directed towards the head.
From the milk vein, it is allowed to take blood for research only from an adult. Milk veins are located on the lateral part of the udder and stretch down the abdominal part. Through them, the mammary glands are supplied with blood and nutrients. It is worth noting that the better developed milk veins, the more milk can be obtained from a cow.
The safest way to take samples for research is from the tail vein. The injection site, as in other cases, must be disinfected. If you choose an injection site at the level of 2 to 5 vertebrae, then the procedure will go more smoothly.
Taking blood from cows from the tail vein
As practice shows, taking blood from the tail vein for research is the safest option. For these purposes, you can use a regular needle or use a special vacuum system. Such systems already include special tubes that contain anticoagulant and the required pressure, which allows blood from the tail vein to flow smoothly into the container.
Before taking a sample from the tail vein, it is necessary to disinfect the injection site with alcohol or iodine solution. After that, the tail of the cow is lifted and held by the middle third. In this case, the needle must be inserted smoothly into the tail vein, the angle of inclination should be 90 degrees. The needle is usually inserted all the way.
This type of fence has many advantages:
- the sample taken is completely sterile;
- practically no clots are formed in the test tube, as a result of which all samples are suitable for research;
- this procedure does not take much time. An experienced veterinarian can call samples from 60 animals for 200 minutes;
- when using this method, there are no side effects, while the chance of injury to cattle is minimized;
- contact with blood is minimal;
- the animal does not experience stress, the usual level of milk yield is maintained.
This method is most often used on large farms, where it is necessary to take a large number of samples in a short period of time.
Taking blood from the jugular vein of cattle
If it is necessary to take blood from the jugular vein, it is recommended to insert a needle at the border where the upper third of the neck passes into the middle one. The first step is to cause a sufficient level of filling of the vein and minimize its mobility. For these purposes, it is recommended to squeeze the vein with a rubber tourniquet or fingers.
During the puncture, you will need to hold a syringe with a needle in your hand so that the direction of the needle coincides with the line of the pierced vein. It is necessary to ensure that the cut of the needle is directed upwards towards the head. The needle should be inserted at an angle of 20 to 30 degrees. If the needle enters a vein, then blood will begin to flow out of it.
Before removing the needle from the jugular vein of a cow, you should first remove the rubber tourniquet and pinch the vein with your fingers. It is necessary to pinch just above the place where the needle is located. The needle is gradually removed, and it is recommended to squeeze the injection site for some time with a cotton swab, which will prevent the formation of hematomas on the body of the animal. At the end of the procedure, the venipuncture site is disinfected with alcohol or iodine tincture and treated with a Collodion solution.
Taking blood from the mammary vein
In this case, it must be borne in mind that blood sampling from the mammary gland can only be done in adults. The necessary vein can be found on the side of the udder.
Before taking a sample, it is recommended to first fix the animal. As a rule, the procedure will require the presence of several people. The first step is to shave or cut off the hairline from the place where it is planned to make a puncture with a needle. After that, the prepared area is disinfected using alcohol or an iodine solution.
In good visibility, there should be a kind of small tubercle, where it is recommended to insert the needle. Since it is quite easy to harm a cow, the needle is inserted as carefully as possible. It must be inserted at an angle, parallel to the course of the vein, until the needle exactly hits it and dark-colored venous blood appears.
This method has some advantages:
- acceptable cost of materials needed for research;
- it does not take much time to collect samples;
- bleeding is minimal.
Despite this, there are significant drawbacks:
- the risk of injury to the cow is quite high;
- will have to come into contact with the blood of the animal;
- during blood sampling, the animal experiences severe stress, as the needle is inserted into the most tender place on the body;
- this procedure is quite difficult.
Thanks to new technologies, this method is outdated, it is practically not used in research.
Features of vacuum blood sampling
The use of vacuum systems has a significant advantage, since the blood after sampling immediately enters a special tube, as a result of which there is no contact between veterinary personnel and the sample taken.
Such systems consist of a vacuum syringe, which serves as a container, and a special needle. The connection with the anticoagulant is carried out inside the vacuum container.
If we consider the advantages of vacuum blood sampling, we can distinguish the following:
- within 2 hours it is possible to take samples for research from 200 animals;
- it is not required to fix the animal in a motionless state before starting the procedure;
- at all stages of the sampling, there is no direct contact of the veterinarian with the blood;
- since the blood does not come into contact with objects from the environment, the risk of spreading the infection is reduced to zero;
- the animal practically does not experience stress during the procedure.
As a result of the fact that cattle are not stressed, cows’ milk yield does not decrease.
Conclusion
Taking blood from cows from the tail vein is the most popular and painless method for the animal. As practice shows, this method of sampling does not require much time, as a result of which a large number of samples can be taken from cattle in a short period.