The Numnuts® targeted pain relief system for marking lambs

CSIRO, in conjunction with Meat & Livestock Australia and Australian Wool Innovation, have tested and validated a targeted pain relief system for farmers to use when tail docking and castrating their lambs using the ring method.

Called Numnuts®, the system is now commercially available to the Australian sheep sector to improve the welfare of lambs at marking time.

In trials we conducted with the University of Melbourne, Numnuts® reduced the number of lambs displaying pain behaviours immediately after marking by up to 68%.

The Numnuts® extended commercial trial

In 2021, farmers helped us trial the Numnuts® targeted pain relief system in real life on-farm settings.

It was a single day’s commitment, with an incentive payment to cover costs. We provided all instructions and, where possible, arranged for a sheep vet or research technical support to be present all day.

Those involved were

• interested in trying Numnuts® for ring castration and tail docking in lambs
• willing to run a research study on your property (with our support)
• able to set up 2 pens, to place 10 lambs in each pen and hold them there for 2 hours – and do this 3 times
• willing to score lamb behaviours during this 2-hour period (3 times)
• able to source NumOcaine® from your veterinarian
• willing to answer a few questions about lamb marking and pain relief.

For more information

Visit the Numnuts® store.

Watch a presentation by CSIRO’s project leader Dr Alison Small | Welfare Seminar | Macdonald & Co Woolbrokers – YouTube.

Contacts