THE wider genetic pool offered by horned bulls is back in the mix for South East Queensland beef producer Lance Bischoff, thanks to the pain relief product Tri-Solfen.
Mr Bischoff, who runs a 300 head, primarily high quality Santa Gertrudis breeding herd at Buaraba in the Brisbane Valley, said he had been reluctant to use the genetics of horned bulls because of the impact of dehorning on calves.
"I've focused on polled bulls simply because I've steered away from dehorning," Mr Bischoff said.
"But the pain relief offered by Tri-solfen gives me the confidence to use horned bulls and take advantage of a much bigger genetic offering."
Mr Bischoff said his main objectives were to maximise the the fertility of his breeders, and develop superior carcase traits, including better than average intramuscular fat.
He also focused on bulls with estimated breeding values showing less days to calving and better than average sperm motility.
"I don't want to limit the growth of the calves in any way, if I can help it," he said.
"Tri-solfen certainly stops the bleeding and the calves appear to settle down and recover much quicker than without pain relief."
Mr Bischoff said of the three bulls he bought this season, two were horned.
"EBVs are an underutilised tool in the beef industry," Mr Bischoff said.
"But saying that, bulls are only half of the equation. The female side is at least just as important and needs to be properly considered."
The three bulls selected were in the top 10pc EBVs for breeding intervals, the top 10pc for both domestic and export weight gains.
Mr Bischoff said he had also recommenced surgical castration rather than banding, again because of the pain relief offered by Tri-solfen.
In addition to the partly irrigated 600ha of country at Buaraba, breeders are also run at Linville and Proston.
Mr Bischoff said he first heard about Tri-solfen from a vet at Morven, who had used the product in her own Merino operation to provide pain relief during mulesing.
"I liked the sound of it, used it, and have kept using it ever since," Mr Bishoff said.
"It really takes the stress out of it for the cattle."
Tri-solfen is a distinctive blue gel made by Bayer under license from Australian company Animal Ethics. Mr Bischoff buys the pain relief product off the shelf from Northern AgriServices in Toogoolawah
It is described as best suited to calves aged six to eight weeks and is designed to provide pain relief for 24 to 36 hours. It costs between about a $1 and $1.50 to treat each animal, and has an 18 month shelf life.
Mr Bischoff has also used laboratory testing to determine levels of chemical resistance in cattle ticks.
The Coopers Animal Health service involved collecting 100 fully engorged female ticks, which were used to test various acaricides and to help identify the most effective chemical treatments.
