Giving a liquid by mouth is called drenching. To do it well, you need equipment that suits the number of animals and the volume: from a simple syringe for a single lamb to an automatic gun with tank for a whole flock. This collection is only about that equipment. Which product you give and how much, you decide with your vet and the label.
The equipment at a glance
- Drench syringes: 20 and 50 ml nylon syringes with nozzle, and an inexpensive 50 ml disposable syringe for sheep.
- Automatic guns: the Henke-Sass Wolf Drench-Matic in Premium and Eco versions (the Eco including a 2.5-litre tank), the 25 ml NJ Philips drench gun and the Clik dosing gun.
- Parts: Génia nozzles with Luer lock or screw connection and separate piston rings.
- Restraining: the Shoof Gambrel sheep restrainer in S and L, and a neck and leg crook.
Syringe or gun? Choose by number of animals
For a few animals, a hand syringe is enough: you refill it for each animal and see exactly what is in it. With a larger flock, that becomes slow and inaccurate. An automatic gun is connected to a container and refills itself after every squeeze, with a preset volume. That saves time and makes the amount per animal consistent. You can read more about guns in drench guns and dosing aids.
Dosing safely
Hold the sheep still with its head horizontal, not raised. Insert the nozzle from the side at the corner of the mouth and slide it over the tongue towards the back, without force. Give the liquid slowly, so the animal can swallow. A nozzle inserted too far or too hard can damage the throat. Check nozzles for sharp edges and replace piston rings if the gun no longer doses accurately.
After use
Rinse syringes and guns with clean, lukewarm water after use and let them dry. Residues of a product can damage seals.
Back to everything for your sheep, or on to health, lambing, foot care, skin and fleece and marking.
Frequently asked questions
Do you also sell the drench products?
No, this collection is about the equipment. Veterinary medicines and wormers go through your vet.
When does an automatic drench gun pay off?
As soon as you treat more than a handful of animals in a row. It refills itself from a container and doses the same volume every time.
Which nozzle fits my syringe?
Génia supplies nozzles with Luer lock and with screw connection. Check which connection your syringe or gun has.