Needle-free technology is gaining momentum in Manitoba hog operations.

"Basically, the inoculant, under high pressure and velocity, opens the skin in an instance and chases down the whole it creates. So the inoculant acts as its own needle," says Mike Agar, Marketing & Technical Support Manager with AcuShot Needle-Free Technology, explaining the basic concept.

He says producers are finding the technology reduces the stress level among animals.

"The stress level isn't transferred from pig to pig. With needles you get pandemonium in these rooms. As one animal is panicking, the others sense that too. With needle-free, the place just quiets down. When you're in the room you can take your earplugs out and hear each other when you're vaccinating," he says.

He says the system also allows the person administering the shot to ensure the animal is injected according to CQA guidelines.

"Typically, once a person sets a needle in an animal, it could be in a bad spot but they feel obliged to pull the trigger because they don't want to pull it out and reset it. Whereas, with our technology, you can set it on the animal, if it's not a good site, you haven't done anything invasive."

The ultimate benefit for needle-free is in the area of food safety.

"That's where the rubber hits the pavement. It's the benefit of being able to market a product that you know has nothing in it except wholesome nutrition, no needle residue, nothing," he says.

Agar notes Hutterite colonies have been quick to adopt the technology.

"It's just really getting started. The Hutterite community is embracing the technology quite nicely. What's nice is they are looking more long-term to the viability of their farms, rather than just the up front cost," says Agar.

~ Thursday, December 23, 2010 ~