We all knew these practices were extremely stressful for sheep and definitely knocked them about.

We had Tri-Solfen, a topical product applied after mulesing that contains local anaesthetic agents to alleviate pain, and haemostatic and antiseptic agents to reduce bleeding and promote healing. Now we have Buccalgesic, a formulation containing anti-inflammatory meloxicam, for the alleviation of pain associated with castration and tail docking and, now, mulesing in sheep.

Buccalgesic was applied to the internal cheek of a lamb during trials. The buccal formulation has a thick consistency, so after application, it adheres to the mucous membrane of the mouth.

More products are sure to follow. It is estimated that 75 per cent of mulesed sheep now benefit from pain relief. The beef and dairy industries will benefit from this product development, as will animals around the world. And it did happen in Australia first.

The Victorian government is hell-bent on erecting wire rope barriers on many roads.

It is obvious that in many cases the barriers have worked, as they have been flattened. However, it may be a good idea to repair damaged barriers pronto as a flattened barrier is about as effective as none.

A Mansfield part-timer working in a ski hire business has struck gold with a sale. A Melbourne visitor to Mt Buller called in looking to buy ski gear. She was told she hiring clothing for several days would be the cheapest option. But, no, she wanted the full kit – the best of everything. She told the wide-eyed assistant she had found out her husband was having an affair and would put all on his credit card. She walked out looking a million dollars after racking up $3000. 

Greens member of parliament Samantha Ratnam told farmers at a recent VFF conference that they were often the first to be hit by the effects of climate change, and they are hit hard.

“Water is so crucial to the flow of rural and regional life, and with weather patterns become increasingly unpredictable, relying on regular rainfall is no longer a given. The longer we prop up a fossil fuel industry that is having a direct impact on climate, the more we risk the productivity of farmland. That is why the Greens want to make the moratorium on onshore gas drilling permanent.”

Therein lies her problem. Many would argue that conventional gas extraction would not be deleterious to the environment.