R&D update
New painkiller spray a balm for wool growers
Much excitement as Australian wool growers and international retailers await a new analgesic spray designed to minimise pain associated with the mulesing of sheep.
And it has the animal rights activists excited too.
The analgesic spray, created by Australian pediatric cardiologist and wool grower, Meredith Shiel, so impressed Animal Liberation (NSW) head, Mark Pearson, he said he'll approach PETA, and suggest the boycott could be lifted if Australia's woolgrowers agree to provide pain relief when mulesing.
"They need to be privy to this very ground breaking information and I would be surprised if they don't seriously review their international campaign of boycotting Australian wool by having a look at this."
The company behind the technology, Animal Ethics Pty Ltd, is cautious about public statements while it seeks regulatory approval for the treatment.
But Dr Shiel has told rural newspaper, The Weekly Times, she drew on her experience treating children to help her develop the spray.
"Paediatrics is often very like working with animals, especially the young babies, in that they can't really tell you where they are hurting or how much it is hurting," she is quoted as saying.
"I came up with a concept of an anaesthetic antiseptic lotion or gel that you would apply to the sheep, based on what I thought would work on humans."
A vet confirmed the chemicals would work on sheep and field trials have proven successful with the pain relieving effects lasting up to four hours.
The pain reliever, which is a thick gel that coats and sticks to the wound, is sprayed on once the animals are mulesed.
"Its really just basic wound care - its anaesthetic, it contain an agent to stop the bleeding and an antiseptic agent that moisturises the wound to promote healing," said Dr Shiel.
Animal Ethics Pty Ltd is now seeking regulatory approval for the treatment as the next step in turning it into a commercial product.