Remote Blood Sampling Device A stress free blood sampling technique
for free ranging animals
J.R. Ingram, L.R. Matthews, R.M. McDonald
Animal Behaviour and Welfare Research Centre, Ruakura Agriculture
Centre, Private Bag 3123, Hamilton, New Zealand.
Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production 1994,
54: 39-42
Changes in various blood parameters can be used to assess the relative
stressfulness of farm practices. In order to overcome confounding effects of
stress inherent in standard methods of blood collection, a portable remote
blood sampling device ("Dracpac") has been developed and tested. Twelve
heparinised blood samples can be taken from the jugular vein and stored in
insulated packs on the animal. The stability of blood parameters taken from
and stored on red deer was determined. Analyses of subsamples taken from a
bulk initial sample over 12 hours showed that levels of cortisol, haematocrit
and glucose did not significantly differ from initial values. In a second
experiment stags were sampled remotely during restraint in a mechanical crush
and subsequent recovery at pasture on 2 successive days. On both days
cortisol, haematocrit, glucose and lactate levels were elevated during restraint
and thereafter decreased significantly to reach levels substantially lower than
previously reported for this species using standard methods of blood sampling.
The development of this device permits reliable remote blood sampling of free
ranging animals without the stress associated with manual blood sampling.
Keywords: NZSAPAB;
Remote blood sampling; red deer; stress; cortisol.
Download abstract in text format
Last Updated 25-01-1997
