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336-427-7539

Harpley's
  • Home
  • Our Farm
  • our facilities
  • Meat Processing
  • Taxidermy
  • Updates
  • Harpley'sHelps

Bovine Gallstones

 Gallstones develop inside a number of bovines, mainly depending on their age and diet.  Gallstones look like stones of various shapes and colors. 

Color: Orange brown, or dark brown close to brownish black.

Sizing: Can range between a bb up to the size of an egg.

 

Gallstones have a commercial value depending on their size, their quality, the conditions of their preservation and their texture.


For an organization with bovine-related activities, collecting gallstones can be a very profitable source of additional revenue, especially seeing that it doesn't require any additional expenses nor investments.

Video

How to Collect bovine gallstones

1. Locate the gallbladder as well as the liver and ducts

2. Cut open the gallbladder. We recommend you do this over a bucket.

3. Empty contents of the gallbladder through a strainer for easy collection

4. If found, ensure to gently detach from the lining as well as the surrounding duct or even liver area. 

5. Ensure to rinse the gallstones with clean water to remove any residue

6. Move to Next step for drying/storage

DRYING

 Drying is a very important step.


Once rinsed, carefully place the stones in a cardboard box. Poke holes throughout the sides of the box. The top of the box can be left open but do not place in direct sunlight -  they will darken and reduce their value.  Keep at room temperature. Gently rotate the stones every few days.  Total drying time takes approximately 2 weeks. 


Do not refrigerate or expose to heat. If the room is too damp and poorly ventilated, the stones may become moldy.


We also advise you to use 2 different boxes.  1) for drying gallstones.  2)Another box for already dry gallstones.


Once dry, be very careful when handling them, as the stones have become very breakable. If they were to break they will reduce their value.


The best way to tell if a stone is dry is to weigh it two days in a row. If the weight does not change, it is dry.


Once dry, the stones can be stored in a well-ventilated cardboard box in the dark for 9 to 12 months without any problems.

Shipping

Place stones in a zip lock bag, place sealed bag inside of small box with packaging materials to keep them safe.   Place our "FORM" in the box and ship to us at the address listed on the Form.  

Once we receive the package, we will send email confirmation to you. Then, we will have our trained team inspect the stones, weigh them, and value them.  Once our documentation is completed, we will send you a purchase offer via email.  If you accept, we will issue payment to you.  If you chose not to move forward, we can return the stones to you. 


Any un-purchased stones can be returned to you. 

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