Australia's Science Forum

Does anyone in the Illawarra know of a supplier of eyes for dissection?
I have rung a number of local butchers but had no success.
The biology teacher wrote the order in my book yesterday afternoon and wants them for Monday. No pressure, of course!

Carol

Hi Carol,
we are in Sydney of course and get our (horse/cow) eyes from a local abattoir. Getting harder to get now and everyone wants them at once.
Sheeps eyes became unavailable from this source years ago.
The eyes are frozen in batches of 10 and we have to take our luck these days on availability.
Do you have a local abattoir down there?
~Robyn

Hi
I get bull/pig eyes from local butchery but needs to give them 3-4weeks notice.
cheers
Marjan

My local abbatoir charges $1 per eye (beef). Best to get in early before they finish the day's kill.

I just purchased 3 model eyes (about 15cm I think - don't have them with me now) on Wednesday from DealsDirect and they arrived today. They are quite good although you don't get the gooey fun of cutting up a real eye. If you can't get a real one though, a model is good. Go to http://<URL removed, see forum rules> and type 'eye' in the search and you'll see it. We actually used pigs eyes last week to do the eye dissection prac and we got them from a butcher at no charge.
Rosalie

One of the butchers I contacted told me to ring his abattoir, and ask them to deliver the eyes to his shop. The abattoir is not local (going on the phone number) so I can't (won't) be picking them up. So far, though, I haven't been able to reach them on the phone.
I guess if I can't get them, I can't get them. I'm certainly not going to visit the local dairy farms and help myself!

Carol

Hi Carol,
I have no trouble getting eyes from Ziem's butchers at Corrimal. May need a bit of notice. Also a good source for kidneys and hearts. But if you need a good pluck, the only place seems to be Steve's Butchery at Warrawong.
Regards, Ellice.

Southern Biological also sell eyes.
Page 48 in the 2004 book.
Bullock eyes 5 frozen about $10.00
or Perserved Bullock eyes 5 about the same cost. As it is a 2004 book, I would ring first to check, phone is 03 9877 4597.

It may help

Thank you, everyone.
I managed to get some frozen bull eyes this morning from South Coast Wholesale Meats at Gwynneville.

Carol

For Sydney based Labbies requiring hearts, kidneys, eyes etc...

Meat Wholesalers at Lot 4, 1-21 Madeline St, South Strathfield are great. Give them a couple of days notice and they will get them in for you. Cash only and they close at 1pm.
Jon McGeoch Ph : 9642 8888

Over here in Geraldton WA because of the quantity we require (25x yr 8 & 9 classes) 250 eyes. We now go with dissecting fish eyes.Just a round lens instead of an oval one. We freeze (in saline water) the eyes after our gill dissection pracs

On the Central Coast, if anyone is interested, Coast and Country Meats in Wyong (43521430), are fabulous for eyes, plucks, hearts etc, just a give them notice.
Cheers
Lisa

Hi Diana, In Moora we have been getting our eyes from EG Green & Sons in Harvey. They send them up with the order from our local butcher at no cost. I haven't got them the last couple of years and I think the are called Harvey Beef now but if you were interested it might be worth a try if any of your local butchers use this supplier for their meat.
Leanne

Thanks for the info Leanne. I will keep this in mind for next year.
Diana

Could anyone please tell me if it is better to microwave bulls eyes before dissection and if so for how long?
OR if you have any other tips for a successful dissection they would be much appreciated.
Thanks Tracey

I really would not microwave the eyes, it may damage the lenses of the eye. Best to leave out of the firdge/freezer over night. And just let it defrost.

I've been told (by a butcher here) that bulls eyes are no longer released from the meatworks. We use fresh pigs eyes (straight from the butcher - no charge, just give them a few days notice) and don't microwave them or anything.

Rosalie, I have no problems getting eyes from Cargills. Ask for Natasha. Give her a day's notice, and you'll need to send a fax as well as ringing, so they have the paperwork for their release forms (they'll ask you how you intend to dispose of the remains - landfill).

Good to know - thanks Liz!

Hi all
Just wondering if anyone knows a good supplier for eye's in Victoria. We used to be able to order them in from a butcher at Preston Market but they won't do it anymore. I know I can get them from Southern Biological but they charge 5 times as much. Also does anyone dissect eye's apart from bulls?
Thanks