The invention relates to, as an assembled elongate string, a sample collector and sample collector driver to drive at least the sample collector through an item to be sampled. The sample collector comprises a punch having a bore aligned to the elongate direction. One end of the punch and bore presents a cutter to cut and hold a sample from the item at the bore as the punch passes through the sample. The sample collector further comprises a plunger slideably supported to said punch to be able to move in said bore between a retracted position and an advanced position relative said punch. The movement of the plunger from the retracted position to the advanced position causes, in use, the cutter held sample to be displaced from the cutter. The sample collector driver comprises a body interfaced with said sample collector in a telescopic manner.

To attach an ear tag (6, 10) to an ear (16) and to remove a sample (22) containing tissue of the ear therefrom, a mandrel (8), which is fastened to a mandrel region (6) of the ear tag, is brought by means of pliers (1) on a first movement path through the ear (16) into a hole (12) formed in a hole part (10) of the ear tag and anchored there, while the sample (22) is taken with the aid of a removal head (17) and is brought out of engagement with the hole (12) by interaction with the mandrel (8) with a movement component oriented transversely to the first movement path, before the mandrel (8) is anchored in said hole.

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 said gap.

The invention relates to a unit for marking and/or sampling animal tissue, including a male portion (12) for marking and/or sampling tissue, and a female portion (13) for marking and/or receiving said tissue. According to the invention, such a unit includes an intermediate element (14) for connecting said male and female portions together, said intermediate connection element (14) having a first portion (141) for rigidly connecting to said male portion and a second portion (192) for rigidly connecting to said female portion, enabling said male and female portions to be supported along a single marking and/or sampling axis (AA1) before marking and/or sampling said animal tissue, wherein the intermediate connection element is releasable.

The invention relates to a tool for collecting a sample of animal tissue, for interacting with collection mechanism including at least one cutting element capable of cutting out a sample and a pushing element movable with respect to the cutting element and capable of pushing the sample into post-cutting storage area. According to the invention, such a tool includes: a mechanism for driving the cutting element (21), a mechanism for driving the pushing element (23), and a mechanism for reversibly coupling the drive mechanism of the cutting element with the drive mechanism of the pushing element.

A method for identifying mastitis in a dairy animal, the method including the steps of: (i) identifying a dairy animal suspected of being affected by mastitis; (ii) collecting a sample of milk from the identified dairy animal; (iii) analyzing the sample for the presence of one or more mastitic bacteria; (iv) analyzing the sample for the presence of one or more mastitic pathogens; (v) identifying, if the presence of one or more mastitic bacteria is indicated, the mastitic bacteria in the sample; and (vi) determining, based on the identified mastitic bacteria in the sample, a management decision for the dairy animal.

A hand-held device (100) for applying a tag (116, 118) to animals and extracting animal tissue, comprising: a first handle (106); a second handle (108); a first jaw portion (101) configured to engage a first portion (116) of an animal tag and an animal tissue sampler (174) for extracting animal tissue; and a second jaw portion (103) configured to engage a second portion (118) of the animal tag and a container (1181) for storing animal tissue; wherein displacing the first handle (106) in a closing direction to an engaging position causes the first portion (116) of the animal tag to engage the second portion (118) of the animal tag; and wherein displacing the first handle (106) in the closing direction to a disposing position causes the animal tissue sampler (174) to be disposed within the container (1181). A loadable biasing member (1806) causes some energy to be pre-emptively stored and released to help overcome a large resistance to allow tissue sampler (174) to pierce an animal's flesh and be disposed within container (1181).

The present disclosure, according to one embodiment, describes a laboratory vessel for storing and treating a tissue sample comprises a closable opening, and additionally comprises a pipe part which is insertable in the opening of the laboratory vessel, wherein in inserted position, the pipe part seals against the laboratory vessel with its outer circumference and is clampingly displaceable with respect to said laboratory vessel, wherein a pestle is mounted in the laboratory vessel, over which the pipe part can be placed sealingly with its inner circumference. The laboratory vessel also comprises one or more tissue sample treatment agents. The tissue sample and the treatment agents are separated by placing the pipe part over the pestle, which separates a treatment agent region from a sample region.

A system for marking a non-human biological object and removing a sample of the biological object includes a first tag part, a second tag part, a pin connected to the first tag part by its first end and provided with a head at its second end, a sample removing stopper which, while attaching the tag parts on the biological object and removing the sample therefrom, is positioned on the head of the pin. The stopper has a cutter at its front, which cutter delimits a sample receiving cavity. The second tag part is provided with a passage for the stopper and the head of the pin. The second tag part is provided in the region of the passage of the second tag part with a sample fixating spike member.

The present invention relates to a clamp (3) for handling a device for identifying an animal and/or sampling animal tissue, said clamp (3) comprising two jaws (32, 33), a handle (31) for moving said jaws (32, 33) together, and means (321) for securing an element of said identification and/or sampling device to one of said jaws (32, 33), said securing means (321) being movable between: a release position, and a securing position. According to the invention, said clamp (3) comprises actuation means (73) for moving said securing means (321) from one to the other position thereof, said actuation means (73) being actuatable via said handle (31).