Readers' Rating:

Rate this article

The precise dispensing of live vaccines and other essential elements is a crucial part of any successful grower operation - animal health and profitable business operations working hand in hand.

In recent years there has been a dramatic movement towards the use of proportional injectors when medicating livestock thought the existing water system. Given the cost of the medicines and the importance of administering the proper dosage, this trend seems quite understandable. "Medicators" are accurate, easy to use and extremely cost effective. The following diagram illustrates how the simple flow of water begins the process by which any solution is drawn, blended and moved to the desired location for consumption.

Anyone can master the basic fundamental workings of the medicator and derive years of dependable, trouble free performance by following four simple "knows"

1. "KNOW" your water.
Just as certain drugs are negatively impacted by improper PH or extremely hard water, your medicator can be adversely affected by poor water quality. Fine bits of sand and other particles flowing through the equipment could cause premature wear on internal parts, reducing the units' overall effectiveness. To avoid costly downtime and repairs, it is recommended that an 80 micron/200 mesh filter be install in line, prior to every injector in operation. The permanent stainless steel spin down filters comes with a build in back flush valve for easy cleaning.


2. "KNOW" your flow and pressure.
All medicators are rated to operate at different ranges of water flow and water pressure. For instance, the water consumption in a livestock nursery may be as little as 1/3 pint or approximately 5 oz. collectively. The equipment of choice must be able to accurately perform at low flow rates initially, and automatically adjust to perform later on at the substantially higher rates necessary to accommodate the needs of maturing livestock.
The driving force requires moving blended solution through the system is water pressure, and this can vary from one location to another. As this pressure is frequently influence by forces beyond the control of the user, it is essential to choose a medicator that will operate at a wide range of pressures.


3. "KNOW" the importance of preventive maintenance.
Your medicator is like any equipment you rely on, and should be inspected routinely. Prior to start up, familiarize you with the owner's manual and troubleshooting guide provided with each medicator. Make certain that you are adhering to the ranges of flow and pressure as indicated in that manual. Periodically check to ensure the in-line filter discussed earlier is operating at maximum efficiency.

Changing seals in the injection stem at least once a year is suggested. Seal replacement takes a matter of minutes, and no tools are required.
After each use, inject clean water through the system. The unit does not lose its prime, and the residue from earlier applications should be adequately purged within five minutes. Once a year you may want to pull out the piston and soak it in warm, soapy water to clean away and build-up that has occurred.


4. "KNOW" you own comfort zone
It is true that today's premium medicator is engineered to provide reliable, state of the art performance without being intimidating. Do not hesitate to take advantage of the technical service network that has been created to make your job a little bit easier.

Readers' Rating:

Rate this article