RED DEER – Elk producers may soon have a painless, non-chemical way to
remove antlers.
Initial studies in Alberta and New Zealand show that tightening a tough
elastic band around the base of an antler for four minutes
desensitizes it and produces the same results as a local anesthetic
injection, said Jim Webster, a New Zealand scientist.
“It seems to be a simple, quick, easy procedure to use with no drugs or
needle involved,” he told elk producers during the Alberta Elk
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Elk and deer producers must treat their animals with some type of
painkiller before cutting off their antlers. The most common method is
to inject a local anesthetic, such as Lidocaine, at the base of the
antler, which takes about four minutes to become effective.
But producers worry the anesthetic leaves a chemical residue in the
antler, which is used as a food and drug.
Other producers use an electrical analgesic, a type of electrical
stimulation to desensitize the antler. The electrical stimulator has
varying degrees of success and is similar to what is used in some
dental offices, said Allan Schaefer, a behavioural endocrinologist with
Agriculture Canada’s research centre in Lacombe, Alta., who is studying
the compression analgesic in Canada.
Some producers swear by electrical stimulation because the animals are
in and out of the restraint squeeze quickly.
Other producers have limited success getting the electrical stimulation
to provide good pain relief for each animal.
Schaefer said the new compression technique shows promise.
“The Lidocaine and compression technology offer equal amounts of
protection to the animal,” he said.
During tests in New Zealand and Alberta, the elastic was wrapped around
the base of the antler and tightened with a type of ratchet to squeeze
the nerve fibre in the antler. Feeling in the antler was gone after
four minutes of compression.
“This method of compression is effective at producing analgesia for
antler removal,” Webster said.
There seemed to be no effect on the growth of the antler after repeated
years of using the compression analgesic, he added.
Schaefer is looking at a three-part approach to lessening an animal’s
stress during antler removal.
First, the animals are given feed containing high amounts of amino
acids such as tryptophan, which calms them before capture. Then the
compression technique is used before the antlers are removed and
finally a type of aspirin is given to ease the post capture trauma.
