Porcine Tissue FAQs
Are the porcine tissues inspected by the USDA?
Yes, the supplying animals are inspected by the USDA pre- and post-euthanasia. Only tissues deemed healthy by the USDA inspector are harvested and supplied to you by ABI.
How many porcine tissues can I order per delivery?
We have access to the processing of over 1,000 animals per day so depending on the tissue that you order, you are rarely limited in numbers of tissues that we can harvest for you per day.
What breed of pigs are used during the tissue harvest?
Yorkshire Crossbred pigs. The majority of pigs processed in abattoir facilities in Pennsylvania today are predominately crossbred Yorkshires.
How quickly can I receive my porcine tissues once I place my order?
Typically, we ask that you order one week minimum prior to the date of your requested delivery in order for us to maintain a balanced harvest schedule. We build our harvest schedules on Thursday for the following week. We request that tissue orders be placed by Wednesday the week prior to the requested harvest week. If clients have a last-minute emergency purchase need, we always do our best to facilitate their needs. Any special requests on orders such as freezing tissues or special harvests may require a bit more time to complete. Clients should contact us to discuss their tissue order needs.
Do you have specific days of the week that you harvest porcine tissues?
We harvest Monday through Thursday each week. We will harvest on Friday by request.
What happens when I place my order over the phone or by email?
You will receive an order price quote that is also an order confirmation form. Once you review all of the specifications listed, you will sign the bottom of the form to confirm the order, and return it to ABI. The order will then be placed on the harvest schedule.
How are my porcine tissues delivered to my facility?
We use FedEx Overnight delivery services (First Overnight delivers by 7:00 AM and Priority Overnight delivers by 10:30 AM). We also use UPS overnight services upon request. There are times when we will ship with FedEx courier services or private couriers when needed. Local deliveries to our facility in PA are eligible to be delivered in the ABI truck fleet or, in some cases, may be picked up by clients at our facility.
How are my porcine tissues packaged to be delivered to my facility?
We have very high-level standards of tissue packaging. We are able to ship your tissues fresh with cold packs or frozen with dry ice. Most of the tissues that we ship are shipped on cold packs in insulated boxes which have a high degree of uniform temperature maintenance of the tissues in the box. Our special formula allows tissues to remain at 35 degrees Fahrenheit in the box for up to 3 days +/- 1 degree, even if the box is sitting outside in the sun. We use specially insulated containers and we have very specific tested protocols for how the tissues are packaged to ensure the tissues stay cold until you receive them which minimizes post mortem changes. We are also able to vacuum pack your tissues or package them specifically for classes or use over time. Rigorous temperature testing has been done by ABI to confirm that our protocols for tissue packaging work.
Can I have my porcine tissues packed in saline or PBS or other preservation liquids?
Yes, ABI is able to pack tissues in saline or PBS easily. We are also able to accommodate your specific needs such as using a liquid preservative that you supply to us or even rinsing certain tissues with anticoagulants.
Do you supply porcine blood products?
Yes, we supply whole blood (abattoir and direct draw), serum, & plasma from pigs.
Can I specify details that are important to me during the porcine tissue harvest?
Yes. ABI prides itself on meeting the client’s needs for their tissue harvest. Please contact us to go over the methods and procedures that you would like to request for your harvest. A few examples are the sex of the animal from which the tissues are harvested, or methods of how contents are removed from certain tissues, methods of preservation, cannulation of tissues, etc.
Can I request blocks of porcine tissue?
Certainly. We are very skilled at harvesting very specific tissue blocks as requested by our clients.
What if there is a porcine tissue that I would like to purchase that I do not see on your pricelist?
Please ask us for tissues that you do not see listed in our literature. We will certainly let you know if it is possible to harvest the requested tissue and furnish you with the cost.
Who are the technicians that are harvesting my porcine tissues?
ABI is founded, directed, and managed by highly educated professionals. ABI harvest teams are educated and professionally trained by the ABI professionals of their harvest methods. Quality is the most important aspect of our tissue harvesting. You will be very happy with ABI porcine tissues.
What are your payment terms and what forms of payment do you accept?
Our payment terms for P.O. orders are 30 days net. We accept P.O. numbers, credit cards, and contract orders. Credit cards are processed once the tissues are delivered. Contract orders are processed as per the terms of the contract.
What if I am not entirely sure what porcine will work for my research?
ABI professionals will discuss your research needs and will be happy to recommend tissues that will work for your study. An example is recommending a specific vessel that will meet the size parameters that you need. We will help you find exactly what you need for your research.
