Medical Products » Veterinary
Injectors » Veterinary Research Programs
Enhanced Jet Injector
for Cattle
Client:
United States Department of Agriculture
(Grant #97-33610-4454,
August 1997 - August 1999)
(Grant #96-33610-2597, May - November 1996)  Objective:
Meat damage caused by injections into the muscle
of food animals leads to significant economic losses, because
the affected tissue must be removed prior to sale.
Subcutaneous injections can prevent
meat damage, but subcutaneous injections with needles often cause injection
site lesions through inadvertent injection into the muscle. Additional needle
problems include user fatigue and broken needles becoming embedded in the tissue.
The objective of
this grant was to develop a fully portable, high-speed,
easy-to-use device that assures delivery of injectates
to an accurate, predictable depth while eliminating standard
long needles. The device is intended to reduce injection
site damage while maintaining or increasing the speed of
injection procedures.
Solution:
Extensive research was required to establish
the appropriate pressure and nozzle geometry to consistently
deliver injectates to the proper depth in cattle. In addition,
the device needed to deliver an array of volumes, ranging
from 0.5 ml to 5 ml. DCI designed and fabricated prototype
devices that met the volume requirements and allowed for
varying pressure and nozzle geometry. Laboratory and animal
tests were carried out, and user input was collected to
assist in the continuing device design.
Results:
The DCI prototypes were used in live
animal tests during Phase II of the program to compare
vaccine efficacy and meat damage for the injector versus
needle and syringe delivery. The results indicated that
the injector provided
titers that were at least as high as those provided by
needle and syringe for six different disease agents. Also,
the injector caused less meat damage and resulting economic
loss than needle and syringe. The
injector design was refined to become the LectraVet® device
described above.
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