A comparison of pO2, pCO2, pH and bicarbonate in blood from the carotid and coccygeal arteries of calves

A technique is described for the subcutaneous deviation of the carotid artery into the jugular groove of calves weighing between 90 and 200 kg. This makes sampling arterial blood or chronic cannulation for further experimentation very easy. Values of oxygen tension, carbon dioxide tension, pH and bicarbonate concentration in blood sampled from the ventral coccygeal artery were compared with the values obtained in blood from carotid artery puncture. The high correlations observed indicate that blood samples from the ventral coccygeal artery can be used for measurement of blood gases and pH in calves.