An analytical sample collector for collecting animal urine includes a container for containing urine and a collection device for collecting urine. The collection device includes a receiver for receiving urine and a channelling element for channelling urine to the container. An attractant composition emits an odor that attracts animals to urinate on the receiver. Kits and methods obtain an analytical sample of animal urine, and collect and analyze an analytical sample of urine from an animal.

Provided are fish tank effluent sampling systems, e.g., for use in recirculating aquaponics systems, methods of using same for sampling effluent, and kits for assembling such an effluent sampling system.

A system for monitoring digestive efficiency within the rumen of one or more ruminant animals comprises rumen boluses shaped and sized to be retained within the rumen dorsal sac and each comprising temperature, pH sensor, and redox sensors, and a wireless transmitter. A processor is arranged to derive from the sensor data one or more parameters indicative of animal digestive efficiency including any combination of one or more of hydrogen scale (rH), partial pressure of hydrogen (pp[H.sub.2]), oxygen fugacity (f(O.sub.2)) and free energy of the system (ΔG). A method and bolus are also claimed.

An apparatus and method for inflicting brain injury on a laboratory animal that employs a platform for supporting the laboratory animal. The platform defines an opening for positioning the head of the laboratory animal over the opening. A projectile is launched from a projectile launching device orientated below the opening of the platform. The projectile launching device has a means for propelling the projectile directly at and/or through the opening of said platform, thereby inflicting brain injury on the animal via either a pressure wave or concussive impact of the projectile. Without helmet, direct impact of the projectile results in severe traumatic brain injury. Use of helmet protects animals from skull fracture, subdural hematoma, intracerebral hemorrhage and contusion yet produces mild concussion-like pathology.

Disclosed herein is a single portable computing device with components for secure authentication and subject identification with a set of integrated electronic diagnostic instruments that accompany a healthcare or veterinary professional as he or she examines or treats a subject before moving to another subject in another location. The device has a network interface so that secure access can be afforded to an electronic application for updating and observation. The disclosure permits clinicians to examine subjects and securely access protected information from an electronic medical record or similar veterinary application at different locations, that also reduces risk of transmitting infection, improves and facilities secure authentication and subject identification.

Disclosed is apparatus and a method for detecting udder disease in dairy animals. An accelerometer is attached to each of a plurality of dairy animals. A processor determines a measure of the activity of the dairy animals to which the accelerometers are attached. Data is recorded by and automatically transmitted from a sensor unit secured to an animal, without the requirement for costly and time consuming chemical analysis of milk, or of visual or veterinary inspection of individual animals in a herd. The development of an udder disease in a dairy animal, such as mastitis, may be identified from a decrease in the monitored measure of activity of a dairy animal. A separate baseline measure of activity may be determined for each dairy animal and the activity of a plurality of dairy animals in one or more herds may be taken into account, in order to reduce false positives due to external effects which are not specific to a single dairy animal.

Computer-aided telemedical evaluation is described. A computing environment can receive a video comprising frames of a subject in motion. The computing environment can identify one or more anatomical features of the subject and determine one or more gait cycle patterns for the anatomical features by tracking motion of the anatomical features over a number of frames of the video. The computing environment can also examine the gait cycle patterns to identify symmetry, asymmetry, and other characteristics in the gait cycle patterns with respect to each other, the anatomical features of the subject, and/or inanimate features of the surroundings. Based on the examination, the computing environment can also provide an evaluation of the subject in the video. The evaluation can include the identification of one or more limbs associated with lameness in the subject. Care can then be administered to the subject, in part, based on the evaluation.

A method for correlation attributes of mature mammals tissue to pre-pubescent mammals is provided. The method comprises providing a biopsy needle with a bore diameter of at least 0.9081 mm (20 gauge) to less than 2.413 mm (13 gauge) with a specimen notch, of at least 2 mm to no more than 16 mm; inserting the needle into said mammalian tissue of a pre-pubescent living mammal and extracting a sample tissue.

Disclosed here are two approaches for implementing neural probes that consist of a thin, high-density Parylene C-based probe on a stainless steel shuttle. In a first approach, the high density Parylene C probe is microfabricated separately and is then affixed to a planar or curved stainless steel shuttle. In a second approach, the high-density probe is monolithically fabricated on a stainless steel shuttle by micromachining the stainless steel substrate.

The present invention relates to a sampling device 100. The sampling device 100 comprises a separate compartment 110 that is ejected creating an increased space or volume for a sample to be stored The sampling device 100 of the present invention is suitable for collecting a sample in an aquaculture environment, enclosed system or in the gastrointestinal tract of a human or an animal. The invention also relates to a method of orally administering the device to an animal and recovering the device 100 and/or separate compartment 110 to carry out analysis on the collected sample for diagnosing the health of the gastrointestinal tract and determining nutrient absorption and digestibility.