The lack of local anesthetic used in farm animal medicine has caused concern throughout the industry. It is expected that the deficiency of anesthesia will last until May, until the spring period of lambing and calving.

In spring, demand for procaine hydrochloride is especially high, used to provide local and regional anesthesia for procedures such as calving, lambing, cesarean section, castration and removal of cattle horns.

It is believed that the deficit is associated with unforeseen problems with the supply of raw materials. English farmers flooded the Facebook group, asking how others take calves, many users offer Hornex paste, alternative or imported products.

The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) stated that they were aware of problems with the availability of veterinary anesthetics in the UK, and instead advised using a ready-made solution of Vm 11557/4002 40 mg / ml / 0.036 mg / ml for injection for horses, cattle, pigs and sheep.

While one company is already importing the product into the UK from Europe, VMD strongly encouraged farmers to "make due diligent efforts to find approved products in the UK before considering the possibility of importing alternative medicines." Veterinary anesthesia is expected to become available in the UK in May 2019.