Using the right tool for the job generally promotes a better outcome; for example, butter knives are not the best tools for cutting wood. Using the right equipment when vaccinating your cattle also requires the right tools. The correct syringes and needles must be used in addition to a well-designed and functioning headgate to restrain cattle so injections may be safely administered in the neck area. 

Administer accurate dosing through proper techniques

Use sterile disposable, or clean, heat sanitized multi-dose syringes that are sized to accurately deliver the correct dose. Filling a 12-cc disposable syringe once to deliver 2-cc doses to six animals will not accurately deliver the correct dose to each animal. Inaccuracy is magnified when using larger syringes. It’s best to draw and administer a single dose for each animal when using disposable syringes. 

Test multi-dose syringes before use

Changes due to wear or damage of multi-dose syringe working components will cause under- or overdosing. Before starting, and periodically when vaccinating, fill the syringe with distilled water and discharge the doses to verify the correct number are delivered. Either adjust or replace syringes that malfunction. Adjust the plunger’s tension to prevent leakage. 

Continuous-feed syringes reduce the chance of contaminating the vaccine, but it is hard to keep the bottle, hose and barrel sheltered from UV light, heat, or freezing temperatures that harm the vaccine. Continuous-feed syringes are better used for less sensitive products like dewormers.

Needles are single-service items. Select them for gauge and length to match the animal’s weight, and the product’s intended placement and viscosity. Download and use the accompanying chart to help with your selection. 

• Use a short needle (1/2 – or 3/4 – inch) for products labeled for subcutaneous (SQ) to reduce risk of unintentional intramuscular (IM) placement. Accidental IM placement can interfere with produce effectiveness and may cause significant pain and tissue irritation.. 
• Use a longer needle, 3/4 – to 1-inch, to deliver the IM product while avoiding placement in the subcutaneous layer. 
• Avoid underdosing due to injecting through the skin tent when trying to deliver a SQ product.
• Avoid product leaking from a hole made by a needle gauge that was too big. 
• You won’t be able to push a thick product through a larger gauge needle; remember, the diameter of the needle decreases as the gauge number increases. 
• 18 or larger gauge needles that are 1 ½ inch or longer are more likely to bend than shorter, smaller gauge needles. 

Avoid needle bending and breaking for quality and safety 

Replace bent needles because bending weakens them, and they will more easily break. Immediately remove needles that have broken off in the animal. Packers reported routinely finding broken needles in the 2022 National Beef Quality Audit and the packers’ customers also reported finding broken needles in purchased product. There is no justification for jeopardizing the safety of plant workers and consumers!  Mark the location of the broken needle in the animal’s health record and have that animal processed by a smaller/local processor, informing them of the hazard so they can carefully trim that area by hand. 

Dispose of needles properly

It is also important to properly handle and dispose of used needles. Injuries from needle sticks are common for veterinary healthcare workers and should be avoided.  Keep needles capped and avoid placing them in your pockets or mouth. Use care when uncapping and re-capping them. Dispose of them in bio-safety containers designed for this purpose or use a hard plastic sealable container that is clearly marked as hazardous and check with your garbage pick-up or landfill about their policies for accepting used needles. Local pharmacies or human or veterinary clinics may also accept used needles for disposal.

Properly designed equipment is available and reasonably priced. You already have a lot invested by the time you are working cattle through the chute. It costs more and leads to unintended consequences when using the wrong tools to vaccinate cattle.

Download and print the following needle chart

Resources