PAIN relief is playing key role in the management of the cattle herd on the Queensland Trust For Nature's Mount Mort cattle property Aroona.
Property manager Chris Schreiweis said he was impressed by the positive impact of Tri-Solfen on the calves, which had been provided pain relief for both dehorning and castration.
"It's applied to the calf in the cradle, right at the critical time, so there is no double handling," Mr Schreiweis said.
"The beauty is the calf finished and out and done with as least stress as possible as back with its mum.
"There was less bleeding and they didn't seem to be laying down or sulking at all."
Mr Schreiweis said Tri-Solfen had proven easy to apply using the applicator gun.
"I'm happy with the result," he said. "They're cleaned and healed quite well. We'll definitely continue to use Tri-Solfen."
Aroona is 2000 hectares of primarily hill country with some fertile creek flats running onto the Little Liverpool Range about 50km west of Ipswich.
The primarily Charbray cattle herd on Aroona is currently in a rebuilding phase following the drought.
"We're in the process of breeding up to about 400 breeders, running about 800 cattle in total," Mr Schreiweis said.
"We like to produce a lick coated, tick resistant weaner that has plenty of Charolais content that is popular with buyers."
Tri-Solfen was initially developed as a pain relief product for the sheep industry to improve outcomes from the mulesing process.
The product has also been widely adopted in the cattle industry for a range of husbandry procedures including dehorning, castration and branding. It has also been been prescribed by vets for treating other injuries to livestock including cuts and abrasions.
The blue gel is administered using an applicator gun. It contains two local anaesthetics, lignocane and bupivivaine, plus adrenalin to stop bleeding and an antiseptic to prevent infection.
Mr Schreiweis said he learned of Tri-Solfen after reading articles in Queensland Country Life.
Tri-Solfen is available off the shelf from rural retailers.