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Blood testing ewes for deficiencies

  • 02-09-2013 4:09pm
    #1
    Conmaicne Mara
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,543 ✭✭✭


    Have any of ye got ewes blood tested for any deficiencies. To find out if there's some mineral or TE they're not getting enough of or possibly too much :confused: I must call into my vet soon anyway and will ask him but thought I'd pose the question here first. Is it worthwhile?


Comments

  • #2
    AntrimGlens
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,088 ✭✭✭AntrimGlens


    i blood test a % of ewes most years to check for mineral deficiencies - i take about 10 samples and throw them into the vets to check for selenium and iodine mostly - costs me about £3-4 a sample i think. We're in a very selenium deficient area and it saves me throwing mineral licks at them wholesale like i used to, bolus them and i know they're all getting the same amount. Nothing like low trace elements to reduce fertility.


  • #3
    razor8
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,326 ✭✭✭razor8


    AntrimGlens wrote: »
    i blood test a % of ewes most years to check for mineral deficiencies - i take about 10 samples and throw them into the vets to check for selenium and iodine mostly - costs me about £3-4 a sample i think. We're in a very selenium deficient area and it saves me throwing mineral licks at them wholesale like i used to, bolus them and i know they're all getting the same amount. Nothing like low trace elements to reduce fertility.

    how do you got about taking samples, where the best place to extract, neck, tail?

    sounds like a good idea


  • #4
    tabby aspreme
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,047 ✭✭✭tabby aspreme


    Is there any lab that will take samples from a farmer or do they have to go through the vet, as my vet will push his mineral supplement no matter what the result and its not much good


  • #5
    AntrimGlens
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,088 ✭✭✭AntrimGlens


    Bleed them from the neck - make sure you have the correct coloured bottles as last year the lab wouldn't take samples if they were in incorrect bottles with coloured tops (a load of balls if you ask me). Get the neck turned to the left and lift upwards, pull the wool away or clip it off and feel for the vein with your index finger, you should feel it pulsing and stick in your vacuum bottle with needle and it will be filled immediately. don't confuse the vein with the windpipe

    it will take you a few goes but its a good skill to have


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