Adrenacaine is the favoured injectable local anaesthetic that we use on farm. Vital for procedures such as disbudding and castration (both lambs & calves). In the interests of animal welfare, the BCVA and BVA believe that calves should be routinely provided with appropriate analgesia to manage pain associated with disease or necessary veterinary and husbandry procedures, Cheshire Farm wholeheartedly agrees with this. In addition to the use of Adrenacaine we recommend the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) when conducting disbudding and castration in calves and lambs. The talk of castration usually make most farmers squirm, this is without considering the procedure with no local analgesia.
Removing the horns has benefits for both humans and cattle and is seen as very common practice. Over the long term, the best method of producing cattle without horns is by selective breeding. This has been achieved for several naturally horned breeds, such as the Hereford, but for many other breeds, particularly dairy cattle, the percentage of polled stock remains very small. So for the foreseeable future, the removal of horns is going to remain a common management procedure. It is therefore important that we do this process safely and correctly, following best practice.
Best Practice:
- Both procedures (castration and disbudding) cause acute and chronic pain, so pain mitigation is essential.
- Procedures should be done early in life to reduce stress, pain, and complications.
- Local anaesthetics (Adrenacaine) and NSAIDs are mandatory for most methods. Remember whatever age you disbud a calf at, it is illegal to disbud without an anaesthetic, unless you are using a chemical method.
- Only competent stockpersons or vets may perform these procedures, depending on the calf’s age and method used. If you are unsure please call us to discuss.
Anaesthesia of the horn bud
- Effective anaesthesia is essential for disbudding calves for welfare and ease of handling. To achieve effective pain relief requires putting local anaesthetic in the right spot and waiting long enough to give it time to work. Our product of choice is Adrenacaine.
- In younger calves, effective anaesthesia can be obtained by blocking one nerve (the cornual branch of the lachrymal nerve). In older cattle, the cornual branch of the cervical nerve to the rear of the horn bud may also need to be blocked – another advantage of disbudding younger cattle. If you are in doubt please contact your vet today.
- The best place to anaesthetise the nerve is halfway between the base of the ear and the corner of the eye. Feel for a bony ridge in this area; the nerve runs under that ridge. Insert a 5/8″ needle up to its hub under the ridge and inject 2mL of a local anaesthetic such as procaine. Pull back while you are injecting so that the last bit of local is injected just below the skin. Then repeat on the other side.
- If you get bleeding, you are likely to be in the right place as the vein, artery and nerve all run together. However, before injecting any local anaesthetic always draw back to ensure you are not injecting directly into a blood vessel.
There are in addition to it simply providing pain relief, legal obligations to us as Vets and also to the Farmer to protect the welfare of the animals:
Legal & Welfare Requirements
- Protection of Animals (Anaesthetics) Act 1954: Requires anaesthetic for disbudding and castration over certain ages. [Analgesia…ves – BCVA]
- Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966: Only vets may perform procedures on older calves. [Analgesia…ves – BCVA]
- Welfare of Farmed Animals Regulations 2000: Prohibits unnecessary pain or distress.
Farmers, like Vets, have preferred products and suppliers. Which is why within OUR SHOPS and dispensaries we endeavour to keep a wide range of products. As Vets we use Adrenacaine in all our surgical procedures such as C- Sections, goat disbuds, digit removals and much more. We are aware of the continued rising costs that we all face, especially on farm. Our suggestion is that Adrenicaine very much remains a stable in all our medicine cupboards to protect the welfare of all our stock.
We currently have stock listed at a very competitive price HERE, continually trying to make the eye watering idea of castration at least less eye watering on the wallet!
