It is disclosed a system (1) for sampling tissue from an ear of an animal including: —a male component (2) including an engagement profile (2c) and a detachable sample collecting part (2b) with a cutting edge (2a); —a female component including a hole (4b) and retaining means (4a) for retaining the engagement profile (2c) of the male component (2), once the engagement profile (2c) has passed the hole (4b); —a tissue sample container (3) including an opening (3b) arranged below the hole (4b) of the female component (4b), for receiving the sample collecting part (2b) and the tissue sampled, the opening (3b) being closed by a sealed membrane or a cover (3d). The tissue sample container (3) includes a protrusion (3c) arranged at least in part in the hole (4b) of the female component (4).

Devices, systems and methods for microelectronic animal identification are disclosed. The microelectronic animal identification device includes an inserter configured to releasably holding the microelectronic chip at a distal end of the inserter, and an actuator configured to release the microelectronic chip from the inserter when the distal end of the inserter is inserted into a substrate of an animal body part. The microelectronic animal identification system includes a microelectronic chip and delivery system, a pigment marking device, a media transfer assembly for producing a pigment mark, a tissue sample device, and a data management system providing traceability of the animal and the materials used.

A sample collector to take and hold a biopsy sample from an organism upon being driven by an actuator into the organism, the collector comprising a punch that includes a cutter with a cutting edge formed at a cutting end of the punch to remove and retain a biopsy sample, and a unique identifier on or in the collector, the identifier being machine or human readable at the time of use of the collector to take the sample.

The invention pertains to a system for identifying an animal comprising a male part (30), cooperating with at least one cutting element intended to cut out a sample of animal tissue, a female part (40) with open head having a through-channel, and a detachable device (50) for storing said sample, intended to be fixed to one end of said through-channel. According to the invention, the system also comprises means for closing said head that can take at least two positions, comprising an open position enabling the passage of said sample through the through-channel during a collecting operation, and an irreversible closed position by which the channel is closed in the vicinity of said one end (422) subsequently to the collecting operation.

A tissue sample punch to puncture into and through tissue, the punch comprising a tubular body having a tissue puncturing end and a trailing end, the tissue puncturing end being formed to define saddle cut having at least two peaks that define the distal extent of the puncturing end.

The invention relates to a kit of parts comprising a collecting device for collecting a tissue sample and a storage tube for storing the tissue sample therein. The collecting device comprises a punch and a plunger located within a bore of the punch and being adapted to slide within the bore. The storage tube comprises a tube body having an open first end, a closed second end, and a cap located at the first end of the tube body, the cap having a breakable seal that extends across the body of the tube to seal the first end of the tube body. The collecting device is adapted to break the seal of the cap and to fill the resulting opening to close off the storage tube.

A platform technology has been designed to provide a means for controlled delivery of single or multiple doses of therapeutic, prophylactic, diagnostic or identifying agents to livestock. The delivery system is based on a livestock ear tag that releases therapeutic and/or prophylactic agent when applied to the ear or other desired anatomical target of the animal. The agent to be delivered is encapsulated in or on microneedles and or microparticles and or nanoparticles or combination thereof on a surface thereon of the male or female part of the tag, which is pressed into the skin so that the microneedles penetrate into the epidermis and dermis layers of the skin. The agent is then released into the animal from the microneedles and or microparticles and or nanoparticles or combination thereof at the site of contact into the epidermis and dermis layers of the skin.

The present invention relates to a sampling cartridge comprising a sampling cartridge body. The sampling cartridge body includes a storage container holding region, at where a storage container is or is able to be located. It also includes a sample collector holding region at where a sample collector is or is able to be located. In use, the body holds the sample collector and storage container in alignment with each other in a pre-sampling condition spaced apart with a sufficient gap to allow part of an item to be sampled to locate at the gap.

Devices, systems and methods for microelectronic animal identification are disclosed. The microelectronic animal identification device includes an inserter configured to releasably holding the microelectronic chip at a distal end of the inserter, and an actuator configured to release the microelectronic chip from the inserter when the distal end of the inserter is inserted into a substrate of an animal body part. The microelectronic animal identification system includes a microelectronic chip and delivery system, a pigment marking device, a media transfer assembly for producing a pigment mark, a tissue sample device, and a data management system providing traceability of the animal and the materials used.

A storage container to receive and store a biopsy sample of an organism, held by a biopsy sample collector, the storage container comprising a container body defining a containment region with an open end, and a container cap removably located at the open end to seal the containment region, the cap including a passage that is closed by a closure that is able to be ruptured to allow a biopsy sample retaining biopsy sample collector to thereat enter the containment region so that the sample can be stored in the containment region and the sample collector can seal the passage.