Sterineedle holster: Waikato-born inventor trials faster livestock vaccination gadget

A new gadget promises to speed up livestock vaccination by sterilising needles between jabs. Photo / 123rf

By RNZ

The final touches are being put on a new gadget promising to speed up vaccinating or giving pain relief to livestock.

Around 20 New Zealand deer farmers were trialling a locally designed holster for their livestock vaccination gun that sterilised the needles in an attached reservoir between jabs.

Founder Jade Luxton made the original Sterineedle holster with a 3D printer through high school a few years ago to address an agricultural challenge.

Since then, the Waikato-born graduate in product design said she had created around 100 iterations of the Sterineedle before its commercialisation.

“When I looked further into this problem, I found that needles could actually be sterilised, and that’s kind of how we started with the holster idea,” she said.

“We wanted that ability to give farmers kind of like a third hand to put the vaccination gun in between animals as well.”

Luxton said it was originally created for farmers during velvetting, because every needle on each stag needs to be sterilised to meet food grade requirements.

She said deer farmers needed a solution for constantly changing needles, but the device could also benefit sheep and beef farmers.

“We currently have 20 models out trialling ... But I’ve also been speaking at NZ Deer Association events, just kind of spreading awareness about the product and getting more farmers keen on the idea and keen to try it as well.”

Luxton hoped the final design would bring it to market in time for the next velvet season.

“We’re currently testing the final design and looking for manufacturers so we can get a few models out by the start of velvetting season this year.”

She said she was inspired by her grandparents, who were involved with farming.