1a) If using a vacutainer and a double ended bleeding needle, screw the bleeding needle onto a needle holder. Insert the vacutainer tube into the other end of the needle holder until the stopper on the tube touches the needle in the holder body. Do NOT puncture the stopper (or you will lose the tube vacuum and the tube will be no good). Hold the assembly in one hand. (Note that the needle holder is re-usable, the needle must only be used once.)

1b) If using a needle and syringe, secure the needle on the syringe, and hold in one hand (Do not reuse).

2) Lift the cow’s tail with your other hand.

3) Insert the needle about ½ to ¾ inch deep and perpendicular to the tail at the underside of the tail, at the midline, and 2 or 3 inches from the base of the tail. When you lift the tail, you can feel “soft” areas directly under tail, above the rectum. This is the target you seek to penetrate with the needle.

4a) If using a vacutainer tube, direct the needle into the tail vein until blood appears at the junction of the needle and tube stopper. When the blood appears, push the tube onto the needle. Blood will rapidly start to fill the tube. If it does not, redirect the needle to find the vein. BE SURE TO KEEP THE TIP OF THE NEEDLE UNDER THE SKIN or THE VACUUM WILL BE LOST. If the vacuum is lost prior to the blood tube filling, the tube must be replaced. For this reason, some people prefer to use a needle and syringe to draw blood.

4b) If using a needle and syringe, apply slight traction to the plunger. Blood will start to fill the body of the syringe if the needle is in the right spot. If not, pull back on the needle and redirect until blood appears freely.

5) Collect 2cc-3cc or more of whole blood using either a red top vacutainer tube and bleeding assembly, or a needle and syringe. If using a needle and syringe, immediately empty the syringe into a red top vacutainer tube. DO NOT SEND BLOOD IN SYRINGES!

6) Label the sample tube with the animal’s ID using a permanent marker on the vial label. Then number blood tubes and write animal ID on submission form. Please label the tubes carefully and permanently to assist the lab in providing accurate results. There is a fee for filling out paperwork for you.

7) Place the tubes in a refrigerator until shipment.

8) Completely fill out the appropriate Test Submission Form. Be certain the total number of samples sent is correct and they are labeled clearly. (Be sure #1 cow in #2 tube can’t be confused with #1 tube holding #2 cow sample.)

9) Return samples to the lab in a box. Refer to Postal Sipping Procedures on the Shipping Instructions page.