Exceeding deadline may result in incorrect analysis results – which is also detailed in the user’s guide to the most widely used machine on the market

Background

Advisor, Ellen Møller Hansen from Unitron A/S, has shared her experiences in testing the influence of the time factor, and has come to quite notable deviations through incorrect use of test equipment.

In the test, samples were taken and analyzed, both immediately and after 30 minutes. The latter can occur, for example, if you collect samples and analyze them after the herd inspection round is over.

The avarage hemoglobin level in test of 14 piglets was 122 g/L in the immediate (and correctly performed) analysis. If the samples were allowed to rest for 30 minutes, two samples were extremely insufficient and the average result of the remaining showed 108 g/l. – a decline of nearly  11.5%

Remember therefore, that the veterinarian, the consultant (or if you have purchased test equipment yourself, you personally) must analyze the samples after max. 10 minutes from removal. Otherwise, you can potentially make a misdiagnosed assessment – in the worst case, even believe that the piglets have anemia (the blood content of the oxygen-carrying hemoglobin is not high enough), without this being the case.