FAQs
Q: What laboratory tests can be done on samples from the TEGO Swine Blood Collection Kit ?
A: TEGO Swine Blood Collection Kit includes the TEGO blood card, which can be used to test swine DNA and genetic traits. This includes, but is not limited to parentage, trait selection, and Porcine Stress Syndrome (PSS). TEGO blood cards have also been verified for designated diagnostic or disease tests such as PRRS. Please click here for the latest information for swine disease testing.
Q: What type of tagger is required to apply the TEGO Swine Blood Collection Kit?
A: TEGO blood collection kits may be used with either the Allflex Total Tagger or Allflex Retract-O-Matic ear taggers. A specially designed tagger (adapter) pin is included with the TEGO blood collection kits. This pin must be used in the Allflex tagger for the collection kits to work properly. It is also important to ensure that the ear taggers are completely assembled. If the black section of the backplate on the taggers is removed for RFID tags, the TEGO device won’t apply properly.
Q: How long does the Swine Blood Collection Kit stay on the ear?
A: After the TEGO blood collection kit is applied to the animal's ear with the Allflex ear tagger, it saturates with blood within 10- 30 seconds. The kit can then be removed from the ear.
Q: What should I do if I don't see any blood on the TEGO card after applying to the animal's ear?
A: In the unusual circumstance where after applying the TEGO device to the animals ear there is no blood after 15-30 seconds, first rotate the TEGO device to see if blood will begin to appear on the card. If blood still does not appear, pull the TEGO kit off the ear, reload it into the tagger, and reapply to the animal’s ear focusing on the venous location around the outer edge.
Q: Does the TEGO blood collection kit damage the ear of swine?
A: No, the TEGO blood collection kit is temporarily held to the animal's ear with a small plastic arrow head similar to, but smaller than the button portion of an ear tag. The self-retracting sharps create two small cuts on the ear which heal quickly.
Q: Once the blood is collected and the card is placed in the specialized individual card envelope, can I place the envelopes in plastic bags or sealed containers?
A: It is very important to NOT place TEGO cards inside plastic bags or sealed containers. This may inhibit the drying properties of the TEGO card.
Q: How should the TEGO blood card samples be shipped to the lab?
A: After TEGO blood cards are saturated, labeled, and placed into the specialized, individual card envelope, they can be mailed directly to the lab by regular mail in a mailing envelope. When sending cards for disease testing, cards should be sent by regular mail the same or next day after collection.
Q: What laboratory tests can be done on samples from the TEGO Bovine Blood Collection Kit?
A: TEGO Bovine Blood Collection Kit includes the TEGO blood card, which can be used to test cattle for DNA and genetic traits. This includes, but is not limited to genomic profiling, parentage, trait selection, and genetic defect testing. TEGO blood cards have also been verified for designated diagnostic or disease tests. Please click here for the latest information for bovine disease testing.
Q: Can the TEGO Blood Card be used for pregnancy testing cattle?
A: Yes, TEGO blood cards can detect pregnancy in cattle.
Q: What type of ear tagger is required to apply the TEGO Bovine Blood Collection Kit?
A: TEGO blood collection kits may be used with either the Allflex Total Tagger or Allflex Retract-O-Matic ear taggers. A specially designed tagger (adapter) pin is included with the TEGO blood collection kits. This pin must be used in the Allflex tagger for the collection kits to work properly. It is also important to ensure that the ear taggers are completely assembled. If the black section of the backplate on the taggers is removed for RFID tags, the TEGO device won’t apply properly.
Q: How long does the Bovine Blood Collection Kit stay on the ear of livestock?
A: After the TEGO blood collection kit is applied to the animal's ear with the Allflex ear tagger, it saturates with blood within 10- 30 seconds. The kit can then be removed from the ear.
Q: What should I do if I don't see any blood on the TEGO card after applying to the animal's ear?
A: In the unusual circumstance where after applying the TEGO device to the animals ear there is no blood after 15-30 seconds, first rotate the TEGO device to see if blood will begin to appear on the card. If blood still does not appear, pull the TEGO kit off the ear, reload it into the tagger, and reapply to the animal’s ear focusing on the venous location around the outer edge. Click the following link to see suggested sampling areas for front and back for cattle ears: TEGO Bovine Suggested Sampling Area.
Q: Does the TEGO blood collection kit damage the ear of livestock?
A: No, the TEGO blood collection kit is temporarily held to the animal's ear with a small plastic arrow head similar to, but smaller than the button portion of an ear tag. The self-retracting sharps cause two small cuts on the ear which heal quickly.
Q: Once the blood is collected and the card is placed in the specialized individual card envelope, can I place the envelopes in plastic bags or sealed containers?
A: It is very important to NOT place TEGO cards inside plastic bags or sealed containers. This may inhibit the drying properties of the TEGO card.
Q: How should the TEGO blood card samples be shipped to the lab?
A: After TEGO blood cards are saturated, labeled, and placed into the individual card envelope, they can be mailed directly to the lab by regular mail in a mailing envelope. When sending cards for disease testing, cards should be sent by regular mail the same or next day after collection.
Q: What lab tests can be performed using the blood samples from the TEGO Card Blood Collection Kit ?
A: TEGO blood cards are a great solution for livestock DNA/genetic testing such as genomic profiling, parentage, trait selection, and genetic defect testing. TEGO blood cards have also been validated for designated diagnostic or disease tests.
For specific testing information for cattle, click here. For specific testing information for swine, click here. TEGO blood cards can also be used to collect samples from sheep for Spider and Scrapies resistance gene testing.
Q: Can the TEGO blood card be used for pregnancy testing cattle?
A: Yes, TEGO blood cards can be used to detect pregnancy in cattle. Please contact us for more details.
Q: What is included in the TEGO Card Blood Collection Kit?
A: Click here to see the available four product codes for TEGO Card Blood Collection Kit and what is included with each product code.
Q: Once the blood is collected and the card is placed in the specialized individual card envelope, can I place the envelopes in plastic bags or sealed containers?
A: It is very important to NOT place TEGO cards inside plastic bags or sealed containers. This may inhibit the drying properties of the TEGO card.
Q: How should TEGO blood card samples be shipped to the lab?
A: After TEGO blood cards are saturated, labeled, and placed into the individual card envelope, they can be mailed directly to the lab by regular mail in a mailing envelope. When sending cards for disease testing, cards should be sent by regular mail the same or next day after collection.
Q: What laboratory tests can be done on samples from the TEGO Swine Oral Fluids Collection Kit?
A: Oral fluids sampling is a way to perform pen population testing. Population testing can be used to monitor several different viruses and bacteria. Currently, several labs have optimized the oral fluids samples to be tested for PRRS, SIV, PCV2, and several bacteria. The list of items which can be tested using oral fluids is always growing. Check with your lab for up to date information.
Q: Where is the best place to hang the rope?
A: The rope from this kit can be hung from the ceiling or the side walls of the pen.
Q: How many times can you use the TEGO Swine Oral Fluids Collection Kit to sample a barn?
A: Each Oral Fluids Collection Kit is designed for one time use. Once the samples are collected from the cotton rope, it should be discarded to prevent cross contamination.
Q: How many ropes should be hung in each building?
A: There are several published studies with information about the best way to perform population testing. Please check with your veterinarian who will likely have a preferred number of kits per barn as well.
Q: Can the TEGO Swine Oral Fluids Collection Kit be used on all sizes of pigs?
A: Yes, the TEGO swine oral fluids collection kit has been used to collect samples from pigs of all sizes. When working with smaller pigs, it is advisable to unravel the bottom of the supplied rope to get them started.
If small pigs are reluctant to chew on the rope, some producers and veterinarians have sprayed the rope with apple juice the first time to entice the pigs.
Q: What is the minimum amount of oral fluids sample needed for the lab to complete an analysis?
A: Most labs require a minimum of 4 ml of sample. Please check with your lab to confirm their required sample amount.
Q: How should the oral fluids samples be shipped to the lab?
A: Oral fluids samples should be frozen after being collected to preserve quality. If shipping the same day, they can be chilled and submitted on wet ice. The samples should be prepared in the same way as serum samples, i.e., pack samples with ice packs and absorbent material (to capture spills) in an insulated leak- proof transport container lined with a plastic bag.
Q: Does every lab accept oral fluids samples?
A: Many labs that currently perform swine diagnostic testing will accept oral fluids samples. Please check with your laboratory to confirm if they accept oral fluids samples.