How to preserve a sheep or a cow brain?

I need to put a brain in a jar. The brain isn't preserved or anything. I would be getting it from the meat shop. Please tell any cheap materials to use.

The best would be acetone.

Thanks :)

Update:

i cant freeze it as i need to put it on display in a show

Comments

  • I would use rubbing alcohol or high proof drinking alcohol if you don't have access to formaldehyde. You should not mix it more than 50/50 with water or the brain may still spoil or get mold on it. Once you put it in the jar and cover it with let say 75% rubbing alcohol, it will get very firm and rubbery (no pun intended) you will not be able to get it out of the jar if you squeezed it in so keep that in mind if you are planning to take it out later. I don't know about acetone. It might shrink or discolor. I have no experience with it. You could try a piece of raw shrimp or chicken in a small dish of acetone to see what happens. Anything you use should be at about 75%.

  • Acetone will pull water from the brain causing it to collapse a little. If you don't need to keep it for a long time you can put it into hot (not boiling) 180° or so water for a while and then display it in the jar (the heat process will set the brain up). You could also use alcohol to preserve it in the jar. Alcohol will cause less shrinkage of the tissue than direct acetone.

  • I would also advice you to freeze the brain by putting the brain first in a packet and keeping it in the freezer. If you have some liquid Nitrogen with you....then put that in a jar and put the brain inside and keep it.

    Considering the fact that you would like it cheap......I suggest you put the brain in a jar full of glycerine....I hear that you can preserve thing that are put in a solution of glycerine (not sure if it is okay to put a brain in or not)

    Hope it helped

  • Depends where they are in the world in the UK and other western countries there are regulations and farms are checked on a regular basis to ensure the animals are kept well as bad housing conditions can also cause diseased animals putting us at risk to. Even when the animals are moved there are checks on them to ensure suffering is kept to a minimum. Inspectors can check at any time, so on a whole the farmers and transport companies normally comply and keep everything in order or they face not only fines but also loosing their licenses. But in some third world countries there are no such checks and I would guess housing is not their priority.

  • put it in the freezer!

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