The invention provides a device, a system and a method for handling, grading and vaccinating living birds, wherein the device comprises a main member; a receiving member rotatably attached to the main member and configured to receive and hold the birds by their scapula-humeral joints in a first position and to release the birds in a second position; and a locking member movably attached to the main member and configured to lock the receiving member in the first position and to release the receiving member to rotate from the first position to the second position to release the birds.

The invention relates to a liquid applicator, for administering liquids, including vaccines, to animals. In particular, the applicator is useful for delivering liquids to mouths of animals.

Fish embryos may be successfully vaccinated or therapeutically treated if the therapeutic agent is injected into the yolk sac. Therapeutic agents may be directly injected or released from microspheres and enter the circulation and tissues. Injection into the yolk sac, combined with the use of carriers, allows for a continued, controlled release of therapeutic agents and processing of antigens. Fish vaccination or therapeutic treatment, selecting fish embryos post fertilization at the one-cell to eyed egg stage of development, and injecting the yolk sac with carriers associated with an antigen(s) or therapeutic agent(s), may be fully automated.

Method and device to inject fluid into animals through a sterile needle, requiring control of fluid volume, flow rate of injection, accuracy of injection site, depth of penetration, disposal administration of consumable materials and quality control of the fluid and fluid administration using a portable applicator controlled by an external software controlled pump and controller system used in administering fluid medications, organic castration compounds and other fluids to be administered to live animals.

A device for the needle-free injection of a fluid includes a first injector including a piston-cylinder arrangement in which a spring-pretensioned piston rod is guided by its front end in a cylinder for receiving the fluid to be injected. The cylinder opens into a nozzle at the front dispensing end via a first nonreturn valve. The cylinder with the first nonreturn valve and the nozzle form a releasable cylinder section in which a piston rod guide is arranged releasably at the end facing away from the nozzle. The piston rod guide includes a guide bushing to guide the piston rod and a fixing element connected to the guide bushing. In the installed state, the fixing element is fixed in the cylinder section. The fixing element has an engagement region for a tool, into which a tool can be inserted to release the fixing element from the cylinder section.

A device for the needle-free injection of a fluid into an animal can include a contact device including a shaped contact surface that is shaped in conformity with a body part of the animal to which the injection is to be administered. Also included is a first injector including a front dispensing end which, during the needle-free injection, extends through a first passage opening in the shaped contact surface and protrudes in relation to the shaped contact surface in a region adjacent to the first passage opening, a first measuring device which outputs at least one first measuring signal in order to detect contact of the animal with the front dispensing end of the first injector, and a control unit which activates a needle-free injection via the first injector on the basis of the at least one first measuring signal.

The invention relates to a liquid applicator, for administering liquids, including vaccines, to animals. In particular, the applicator is useful for delivering liquids to mouths of animals.

Injection systems and methods of using the same are described herein. Each injection system may include one, two, or more needles, with each needle being configured to move needle between an injection position and a retracted position to deliver an inoculant. The injection needles may rotate about a carriage axis that extends through the injection axis along which each needle moves when moving between their injection and retracted positions. The injection needles in systems that include two or more injection needles may be advanced from the retracted position to the injection position at the same or different times.

A dispensing apparatus (1) for delivering droplets of fluids such as liquids having a low viscosity or being soft gels onto poultry hatchlings that are present in movably mounted hatchling trays (19) comprising at least one reservoir (18), at least one pumping unit (9), connected to at least one reservoir (18), with at least one manifold (8) connected to at least one pumping unit (9), as well as a control unit. The apparatus comprises a plurality of optionally adjustable fluid atomizers (6) being connected by flexible connecting means (7) to at least one manifold (8), whereby the fluid atomizers (6) are detachably and/or slidably connected on at least one mounting rail (5), and that optionally different types of fluid atomizers (6) are distributed onto the mounting rail (5). Additionally, a method for delivering fluid droplets onto poultry hatchlings present in moving hatchling trays (19) is described.

A transport device for automatically transporting living poultry animals in a transport direction is disclosed, along with a method for automatically transporting living poultry animals in a transport direction, a method for commencing the operation of a transport device, and a method for automatically performing a handling operation on living poultry animals, and to the use of a transport device. The transport device comprises a transport rail which extends along a transport axis and which has two guide elements and a transport receptacle formed between said guide elements, at least one driver device which has two holding elements, wherein each holding element has a driver portion and a receiving recess, and a drive which is configured to move the at least one driver device along the transport rail.