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Samples for PCR testing
Collect swabs or tissue into viral transport media store frozen
On-the-spot tests
Measure core body temperature with a deep probe thermometer inserted into the heart, liver or deep rump muscles as soon after death as possible.
Test pH of rumen fluid with pH strips or dipstick Test for urinary ketones with a dipstick
6.2.1 Targeted sampling
A baseline set of CORE SAMPLES and data is to be collected from every necropsy
regardless of suspected disease. These samples are important to differentiate the most common and important causes of
death in export cattle.
Table 6.1: Core samples to be collected from ALL necropsies.
Samplemeasurement Sample
Container Sample
Storage
1. Core body temperature
NA NA
2. Nasal swab
Viral transport
media Freeze
3. Lung swab
4. Lung – bread slice
10 formalin
Room temperature
5. Trachea
6. Heart
7. Kidney
8. Liver - bread slice
9. Ileocaecal valve - opened
10. Ventral rumen - including
pillar
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ADDITIONAL SAMPLES and observations made when certain diseases are suspected :
Suspected diseases presented in alphabetic order
Suspected disease Targeted samples or additional measurements
Blackleg Skeletal muscle in 10 formalin
Fatty liver Urinary ketones dipstick
Heat stroke Skeletal muscle in 10 formalin
Pneumonia Lung affected and unaffected in viral transport media, freeze
Swab of affected lung, freeze Rumen acidosis
Reticulum in 10 formalin Rumen fluid pH
Salmonellosis Gall bladder in 10 formalin
Small intestine wall in 10 formalin Large intestine wall in 10 formalin
Mesenteric lymph node in 10 formalin Reticulum in 10 formalin
Abomasum in 10 formalin Rumen fluid pH
Septicaemia Spleen in 10 formalin
Swab of tissues affected by cellulitis, freeze Starvation
Pancreas in 10 formalin Skeletal muscle in 10 formalin
Urinary ketones dipstick Tick fever
Brainstem in 10 formalin Spinal cord at C1 in 10 formalin
Spleen in 10 formalin
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6.2.2 Comprehensive sampling
Use the comprehensive sampling approach when there is no obvious cause of death on initial necropsy.
Collect the following samples in 10 formalin for histology
Brainstem and spinal cord at C1 using prionics spoon Trachea Lung
Heart Liver
Gall bladder Spleen
Adrenal gland Pancreas
Kidney Rumen Reticulum
Abomasum Small Intestine Large Intestine
Mesenteric lymph node Skeletal muscle
Bone marrow
Conduct the following on the spot tests
Urine for ketones Rumen fluid pH
Core body temperature
Other samples may be useful in some cases
NOTE: For necropsies conducted at sea, import restrictions make it difficult to bring non- fixed samples back into Australia and these samples should not be collected without prior
arrangement for importation.
Toxicology place in individual Ziploc bags and freeze
o Contents of reticulum, fresh kidney , fresh liver
Microbiology and molecular biology
o Samples in appropriate transport media and stored frozen.
Clinical pathology and biochemistry place in tubes and freeze.
o Serum, vitreous humor, cerebrospinal fluid
6.3 Detailed necropsy procedure
