Kerbl Speedy Drencher

Details

There comes a point in every calf barn where a bottle is no longer the answer. The calf will not suck, the feed sits untouched, and the fluid has to go in another way. A drencher is the tool for that job, and the difference between a good one and a poor one shows up in how well it fills, how steadily it flows and how easily it comes apart to be washed. The probe is rigid and measures 48 cm. Flow is set by a three-stage valve on the bottle, so the rate can be matched to the calf rather than run wide open. The handle is shaped for a one-handed grip while the other hand steadies the head, and the base is wide enough that the bottle stands on its own on a ledge or a step while it is being filled. The cap opening is generous, which makes both filling and brushing out afterwards much less of a chore than a narrow-necked bottle. Caps and probes are shared with the Speedy Feeder bottles, so a barn running both can keep one set of spares, and replacement probes are catalogued separately. Passing a probe is a technique, not a knack, and it is worth being shown properly by your veterinarian well before the first time you need it at two in the morning. When to drench, and what to give, are decisions for your veterinarian and the label of the product concerned. Afterwards, rinse immediately, run a bottle brush through the probe before anything dries in it, and stand the parts apart to dry.