Tag: everything but the squeal

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The Squeal from Miss Vivi – September 2012

Well hello!

It’s been a good long while since I had a squeal so I thought I’d drop you a line.  I hope the year hasn’t been too hard on you.  It seems to be zooming towards the end now, so if it’s been a bit rough at least you know you’re almost at the end of it.

We’ve had a move recently into a bigger, brighter shed which has made the job a lot easier.  We finally have enough concrete to drive things around on pallets so a lot less muscle is required.  This has led to less squealing from me which has been a blessed relief to Mr Vivi.

The squeal from the abattoir is that the cost of plucks is going up.  Sadly, we’ve got to pass this on but I think we’ve come up with a compromise. We’ve negotiated to have a pluck without a liver delivered which drastically reduces the weight of the specimen.  We can offer these at the old price of $12.00 and the pluck we’ve always had will go up to $16.00 each.  We have a stockpile in the freezer now and we are able to fit 3 of the new plucks into a small, $2.00 box so it’s going to drastically reduce your cost of shipping as well.

We’ve been lucky to be able to supply plucks at the same price for nearly 3 years now.  There will be a new price list up on the website on 1 October in time for the new term.

There are a few interesting specials up on the Off Cuts page on the website at the moment.  I’m about to advertise our new simulated blood powder which makes up a litre of the ‘blood’ that is used in medical training facilities and emergency services training scenes.  I have 36 in stock for $10.00 each.  If there is a high enough demand for it I can always get some more.  Here’s what Liz from Armidale had to say about it:

“We just used that fake blood you sent and it’s fantastic! Took me right back to my days in Path!! I quite liked that there were a few undissolved lumps…..told the kids they were clots!!
Thanks again for sending it and next time I order anything I’ll order some more.”

I hope you are planning some rest and relaxation in the next couple of weeks.  We’re looking forward to seeing you at some upcoming conferences in Sydney and Melbourne.  Come over and have a squeal, won’t you?

Miss Vivi

 

 

ps.  I was sent this cartoon by my friend Mrs Jill who was asked during a piglet dissection “which bit does the bacon come from?”  I hope it gives you a giggle.

 

sunbathing pig turns into bacon

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Special specimen: pig pluck with sectioned larynx

sectioned pig larynx
Sectioned pig larynx

Here we have the sectioned larynx of a pig still attached to a pluck. Someone got a bit knife happy at the abattoir so all the internal structure of the larynx has been revealed. That’s harder than it looks. We’ve tried to do it with knives and with scissors and never had any luck.

1 only available. $12.00. Check out the Off Cuts page for more specials – but remember they are always advertised on the Facebook page first.
Miss Vivi

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Piglet Dissection Workshop at ConQEST 2012

Every year at the end of June we get to go to ConQEST and we always have a ball.

Trade display at ConQEST 2012
The Dissection Connection trade display at ConQEST 2012

This year we ran two workshops – a head dissection and a piglet dissection.  One of the workshoppers, a lab tech from Emerald, took some great photos of the piglet dissection and has been kind enough to let me share them here.

Step 1 – peg out the beastie on a tray using rubber bands around each foot.  Heather from Southern Biological showed me how to do this.

Displaying the specimen using rubber bands
Piglet dissection: a rubber band around each foot and looped behind the dissection tray will hold the piglet still for dissection

Step 2 – make a mid-sagittal incision in the skin

Start with a mid-sagittal incision
Piglet dissection: making the mid-sagittal incision

Step 3 – separate the skin from the muscle using a scalpel

Piglet dissection: Exposing the muscles under the skin
Piglet dissection: once the skin has been peeled back the muscles are exposed for examination
Piglet dissection: exposed tarsals
Piglet dissection: the tarsals exposed

Step 4 – locate the diaphragm and identify the organs of the thoracic cavity

Piglet dissection: examining the organs in the thoracic cavity
Piglet dissection: examining the heart in the thoracic cavity
Piglet dissection: the trachea
Piglet dissection: an incision can be made in the trachea and the lungs can be inflated with a syringe

Step 5 – identify the organs of the abdominal cavity

Piglet dissection: organs of the abdominal cavity
Piglet dissection: the liver and intestine inside the abdominal cavity
Piglet dissection: kidney exposed in the abdominal cavity
Piglet dissection: intestine removed and kidney exposed
Piglet dissection: examining the length of the small intestine
Piglet dissection: the small intestine removed and stretched out to demonstrate its length

So, there you have it. A good time was had by all and then we went to lunch – which is always fabulous at ConQEST.  See you there ‘in the flesh’ next year.
Miss Vivi

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Top Tip: keeping slides warm for viewing semen motility

Now that the weather has cooled down it’s going to take a bit more to keep semen samples warm enough to view motility.  Live semen is sensitive to thermal shock and the glassware will need to be warmed up in a water bath to at least 35C before you introduce the sample.

A top tip from the supplier to keep the slide warm and slow down the rate of cooling of the glass:

  1. cut a piece of cardboard the same size as a microscope slide,
  2. cut a hole in it the same size and position as the cavity to allow the light through,
  3. mount the cardboard on the microscope stage,
  4. mount the warmed slide on top of the cardboard.

When you order the live semen sample I will send you an info sheet so you are prepared before it arrives, so don’t panic if you’re not sure what I’m talking about here.

And if you’re wondering whether or not to order the sample in the first place, why not have a look at what a labbie had to say about how they managed it and what the kids got out of it?