Needleless Jet Injection System for Use in Cattle Injection Programs

The proposed program will demonstrate the feasibility of a battery-operated variable pressure, fully portable, needleless jet injector for use in large scale cattle injection programs. This system is based on a compact spring-loading technique which allows for a selectable pressure feature. The design will achieve suitable jet properties (laminar flow) required for adequate injection depths. Testing will examine the possibility of achieving subcutaneous injections to help reduce injection scarring. Currently available jet injectors are not optimized for large scale injection programs. The equipment is often unwieldy, and the systems have not been shown to achieve appropriate injection depths, mainly because of unsuitable jet properties. The more common needle/syringe system poses a variety of problems, including expensive disposal procedures, accidental needle sticks, broken needles embedded in the animal, and cross-contamination if the needle is used for multiple animals. Another disadvantage of using a needle/syringe is injection scarring which results in significant economic loss for the meat industry because the affected tissue must be removed prior to sale.