Mark Johnson, Oklahoma State University Extension Beef Cattle Breeding Specialist, offers herd health advice as part of the weekly series known as the “Cow Calf Corner,” published electronically by Dr. Derrell Peel, Johnson, and Paul Beck. Today, Johnson discusses needle selection for vaccinating cattle.
When selecting a needle, choose one that is sharp, durable and detectable. It should be standard practice to avoid contaminated, burred, bent or broken needles. To help combat the chances of a needle breaking, use a durable, specialized stainless-steel needle with a thick-walled cannula. Change needles as frequently as necessary to guarantee needles remain sharp. If you are managing any blood-borne pathogens in your herd, such as anaplasmosis or bovine leukosis, it is necessary to replace the needle after each animal. Detectable needles offer the benefit of being easily identified and found by the metal detection systems within beef processing plants. The only 100% detectable needle is made of a specialized, highly ferritic, stainless-steel alloy.
Read product labels to determine the appropriate route of administration, whether it is subcutaneous (sub-Q) or intramuscular (IM). Next, determine the weight of the animal, not only for proper dosage, but also for selection of the appropriate needle. The route of administration determines the length of the needle, while the size of the animal determines the gauge, or diameter, of the needle. Viscosity of the product is another factor in the selection of the proper gauge. Lighter calves require a smaller-diameter needle, whereas heavier animals require a larger-diameter needle. It is important to note that as the gauge increases, the diameter decreases. There can be implications to selecting the wrong needle. It is critically important to use a needle of the correct length to ensure it enters the correct tissue. When this fails absorption of the product can be altered, resulting in failed efficacy. Furthermore, when treating young, light weight calves, if the needle is too long, there is potential to strike a bone or a nerve.
The chart below can help in deciding the needle gauge and length required.
Reference: https://extension.okstate.edu/programs/beef-extension/oklahoma-beef-quality-assurance/site-files/documents/cattle-vaccination-needle-selection.pdf
Dr. Rosslyn Biggs, DVM, OSU Extension beef cattle specialist, takes an in-depth look at handling and administering vaccines on SunUpTV from January 22, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKfw-DXs4ss&t=51s.
