Cue-Mate®

This product is contraindicated for use in animals that are in poor condition or suffering ill health or with abnormal vaginas.

This product is contraindicated for insertion into overly small animals when application discomfort is evident.

This product is contraindicated for the treatment of anestrous cows within 21 days after calving.

Loading Cue-Mate into the Applicator

Retract barrel and plunger fully. Maintain retracted position by holding finger grip and scraper. Hold Applicator in the vertical position for loading. Thread tail of device into ‘keyhole’ of barrel. Holding device and ‘jaws’ in palm of hand, feed device into jaws. Squeeze jaws closed around device. Slide barrel forward to close applicator.

Inserting Cue-Mate® into the Cow

Prior to insertion of the Applicator ensure the vulva is cleaned with a paper towel or suitable wipe.

Place veterinary lubricant onto the tip of the Applicator. Insert the lubricated Applicator, positioned in a vertical plane through the lips of the vulva and push forward guiding the tip of the Applicator through the vestibule. Once the Applicator is inserted past the vestibular constriction, turn the Applicator so the Cue-Mate® device is in the horizontal position. Push the Applicator well forward and depress the Applicator plunger thereby releasing the Cue-Mate® into the anterior vagina in a well forward position.

Withdraw the Applicator ensuring the Tail travels freely out of the Applicator. When correctly positioned the Tail should be protruding from the vulva pointing down with no part of the Wishbone being visible.

Removal and Wishbone Recycling

Remove Cue-Mate® by grasping the Tail firmly and gently pulling backward. As the Wishbone emerges, pull the Tail in a slightly sideways direction to ease each Pod through the vulva, one at a time, to avoid rapid removal and flicking. To Remove Pods and Tails from used Wishbones, place used devices in bucket and apply high pressure hose to loosen and remove mucus. Remove Pods from Wishbone by pulling lip of the Pod-head and ripping away from Wishbone. Remove Tail by pushing back through Wishbone. Discard Pods and Tails. Wash Wishbones in hot alkaline detergent at 65°C, rinse, dry and store in plastic bags away from direct sunlight.

Re-Loading Wishbones

Sanitise cleaned Wishbones in a chlorine sanitiser with at least 2,000ppm of available chlorine, for one hour. Virkon can be used in accordance with label concentrations. Take sanitised clean Wishbones and twist a new Treatment Pod onto each arm of the Wishbone.

Placement of Pods can be assisted by first wetting the Wishbone arm in clean water, enabling the Pod to travel smoothly over the Wishbone stem. Use a twisting action to push the Pod over the button and ensure the Pod has clipped firmly onto the Wishbone button.

Wear disposable gloves when handling treatment pods

Anovulatory anoestrus in cattle

Using an approved applicator insert 1.56g progesterone (2 pods) Cue-Mate® into the vagina. Leave for 6 days, remove, and 24 hours later (day 7), inject 1mg of oestradiol benzoate. Most cows will respond within 2-4 days. Mate to detected heat. Re-examine animals that do not respond and re-treat those not cycling, if necessary.

Synchronising cows

Insert 1.56g progesterone (2 pods) Cue-Mate® into the vagina using an approved applicator. Inject the cow with 2mg oestradiol benzoate at insertion time. Remove Cue-Mate® device on day 8 and inject the cow with PGF2α (or analogue) at manufacturer’s recommended dose. Following that, administer 1mg of oestradiol benzoate at either 24 hours after device removal, or 48 hours after device removal for those animals that have not cycled. Inseminate to detected oestrus.

Bos indicus heifers only

In these animals one treatment pod (0.78g progesterone) is sufficient. Replace a treatment pod on one arm of the Wishbone with a blank pod (available separately). Then use the device as directed.