POST-OPERATIVE PAIN MANAGEMENT FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to a nanocomposite comprising collagen, nanoparticles and two or more different active agents. The active agents can be drugs. The invention also relates generally to the use of a nanocomposite comprising collagen, nanoparticles and two or more active agents for pain relief such as post-operative pain relief in livestock. BACKGROUND Velvet deer antler is highly valued, particularly within Asian cultures, where it has been used in traditional medicines for more than 2000 years. Velvet antler has been very popular in the modern era too. The FDA has approved its use for the treatment of arthritis and for enhancing performance among athletes (Gilbey and Perezgonzalez, 2012, Sleivert et al., 2003). A report in 2013 suggested that pharmaceutical manufacturers use more than a thousand kilograms of deer antler annually, which has made this product unique among other traditional medicines in China (Wu et al., 2013). This increase in demand and interest has led to rapid growth in the number of deer farms and their sizes, especially in New Zealand (www.deernz.org). According to the Animal Welfare Act (2018), deer antlers should be removed before March and should not exceed more than 110 mm prior to transportation. They should be removed under analgesia (Code of Welfare for Deer, page 43, Std no 15 Pre-Transport Selection); the Code of Welfare for Transport within New Zealand, page 13, Std no 5 ‘Preparation of animals for transport’; and the DeerQA Transport Programme). The production of antler velvet requires the removal of the developing antler from the pedicle of young male deer under local anaesthetic. The antler from animals in the family Cervidae differs from that of other species in that it is highly vascularised and innervated. Consequently, its removal is a painful procedure, thus represents an animal welfare issue (Kawtikwar et al., 2010). Velvet antlers can be removed by either veterinarians or trained personnel acting under veterinary supervision and following the Velveting Code of Practice. All effort must be made to ensure that the deer is subjected to the least pain possible (and ideally no pain) during the harvesting procedure. Stress should be minimized with careful handling in appropriate facilities and by immediately releasing the deer to the paddock to graze freely at the completion of the procedure (Kawtikwar et al., 2010). The current industry standard is to use local anaesthesia provided by a lignocaine ring block around the base of the antler to abolish the sensation of pain during the procedure (Wilson and Stafford, 2002, Wilson et al., 2001). Lignocaine has a rapid onset of action, which lasts for 60 to 90 minutes (Wilson and Stafford, 2002, Wilson et al., 2001). No other anaesthetic formulations are currently licensed for use in antler velvet removal procedures in New Zealand. However, despite the allowed use of lidocaine HCL, animals suffer from pain after antler removal once the analgesic effects of lidocaine HCL have subsided. Pollard et al. 1992a and 1992b found painful behaviour in deer, 2 hours after antler removal (Pollard et al., 1992a, Pollard et al., 1992b). Additionally, Webster and Matthews studied the effect of injection of lidocaine HCL compared to the control group in which the deer were only restrained. Surprisingly, they found that the deer which had lidocaine HCL injections, showed more behavioural indications of pain irritation than the control deer. Interestingly, these reactions disappeared after 7 hours. In summary, their findings proved that lidocaine HCL injected as a ring block does not provide long-term pain relief after antler removal in deer (Webster and Matthews, 2006). There is thus a need to find a method of producing longer acting postoperative analgesia. There are also numerous reports on postoperative infections at the surgical site and injection site lesions in deer received at slaughter plants (Killorn and Heath, 1993, Lloyd, 2002), suggesting a need for new strategies to manage the wound after removal of velvet antlers in deer. An alternative harvest method for velvet antlers in deer utilises NaturO rings, which provide some local desensitization and control of bleeding (Woodbury et al., 2002). However, pain relief is temporary and inferior to that provided with local anaesthesia (Woodbury et al., 2002). Furthermore, the use of the Natur-O ring is limited to pre-slaughter removal of antler velvet immediately prior to transport. Disbudding and dehorning are also painful procedures when performed on beef and dairy cattle. Disbudding and dehorning are required in cattle rearing to avoid injuries to handlers and herd mates. Even though disbudding at an early age is easier, less invasive, and less painful and stressful than dehorning, dehorning is still carried out on some cattle farms, particularly if cattle are to be transported. Dehorning can cause several problems including profuse bleeding, exposure of the frontal sinus (a cavity in the skull), increased risk of sinusitis, prolonged wound healing, infection, and pain and distress. It is a legal requirement in New Zealand to provide pain relief for dehorning. Lidocaine hydrochloride (2%), the commonly used local anaesthetic for dehorning can provide pain relief for about 1.5 hours following the procedure (Stafford and Mellor, 2011). Behavioural, physiological, and neuroendocrine responses suggest that animals feel pain for several hours to days following dehorning (Stafford and Mellor, 2005). The wound healing following dehorning can take up to 3 months or more. There appears to have been no major advances in reducing bleeding and accelerating wound healing in dehorned cattle. In typical farming conditions, minimal measures are taken to manage the post-operative pain and the wound left is generally left open and bleeds profusely after the surgical removal of the horn. Such practices increase the risk of death to the animal if bleeding is not controlled and/or if the wounds are infected. Currently, no post-operative treatment is available for use in deer or cattle to reduce pain once their antlers or horns are harvested or removed (respectively), and bleeding from wound sites remains a significant issue. To date there are no registered treatments for deer antler or cattle dehorning wounds and current removal practices are inadequate for treating the pain and suffering of deer and cattle. Accordingly, there is a need for new and improved deer antler removal and cattle dehorning practices and products. It is an object of the present invention to provide a composition for use for post-operative pain management in deer following antler removal and/or to provide a composition for use for post- operative pain management in cattle following dehorning and/or a method of managing post-operative pain in deer following antler removal and/or a method of managing post-operative pain in cattle following dehorning and/or to at least provide the public with a useful choice. In this specification where reference has been made to patent specifications, other external documents, or other sources of information, this is generally for the purpose of providing a context for discussing the features of the invention. Unless specifically stated otherwise, reference to such external documents is not to be construed as an admission that such documents, or such sources of information, in any jurisdiction, are prior art, or form part of the common general knowledge in the art. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one aspect the present invention relates to a nanocomposite comprising collagen, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) capped zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (ZnO/PVP nanoparticles), lidocaine HCL and bupivacaine HCL. In another aspect the invention relates to a nanocomposite comprising collagen, ZnO/PVP nanoparticles, lidocaine HCL and bupivacaine HCL for use in treating pain. In another aspect the invention relates to a method of treating pain in a mammal comprising contacting an open wound with a nanocomposite of the invention. Various embodiments of the different aspects of the invention as discussed above are also set out below in the detailed description of the invention, but the invention is not limited thereto. Other aspects of the invention may become apparent from the following description which is given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the drawings in which: Figure 1: The collagen/drug/nanoparticle wafer preparation process. Figure 2: Locations around the antler measured by pressure algometry for measurement of pain sensation in deer. The labelled sites indicate the order in which the mechanical nociceptor thresholds (MNT) were measured. Figure 3: Bupivacaine HCL drug concentrations (ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 ) over time (min) in different study groups in the in vitro study (n=6). Figure 4: lidocaine HCL drug concentrations (ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 ) over time (min) in different study groups in the in vitro study (n=6). Figure 5: Pain threshold values (N) at different time points in control (solid circles), T125% nanoparticles (squares), T25% nanoparticles (triangles pointing up), and T3 no nanoparticles (triangles pointing down). The dotted line shows that the control group measurements were stopped after 360 minutes compared to the treatments, which lasted 10 hours. The asterisk symbols represent the endpoints in each study. Figure 6: Representative images of dehorned wounds of cattle from each treatment group: 6a) Group 1 (control) – image shows the wound and exposed frontal following dehorning; 6b) Group 2 (topical collagen wafers) – image of dehorned wound following the application of collagen wafers; 6c) Group 3 (topical local anaesthetic gel) – image shows the dehorned wound following the application topical local anaesthetic gel, Tri-Solfen. Figure 7: Representative images of dehorned wounds of cattle from each treatment group: 7a) Group 1 (Control) – image shows the dehorned wound was not completely healed (scabs can be seen) 90 days following dehorning; 7b) Group 2 (topical collagen wafers) – image shows the dehorned wound was completely healed 65 days following dehorning; 7c) Group 3 (topical local anaesthetic gel) – image shows the dehorned wound was completely healed 85 days following dehorning. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION DEFINITIONS The following definitions are presented to better define the present invention and as a guide for those of ordinary skill in the art in the practice of the present invention. Unless otherwise specified, all technical and scientific terms used herein are to be understood as having the same meanings as is understood by one of ordinary skill in the relevant art to which this disclosure pertains. The term “comprising” as used in this specification and claims means “consisting at least in part of”; that is to say when interpreting statements in this specification and claims which include “comprising”, the features prefaced by this term in each statement all need to be present but other features can also be present. Related terms such as “comprise” and “comprised” are to be interpreted in similar manner. The term "consisting essentially of" as used herein means the specified materials or steps and those that do not materially affect the basic and novel characteristic(s) of the claimed invention. The term “consisting of” as used herein means the specified materials or steps of the claimed invention, excluding any element, step, or ingredient not specified in the claim. The term “nanocomposite” as used herein means a composite material containing at least one material that is a nanomaterial. The term “nanomaterial” as used herein refers to a material with any external dimension in the nanoscale or having internal structure or surface structure in the nanoscale, with nanoscale defined as the length range approximately from 1 nm to 100 nm. It is intended that reference to a range of numbers disclosed herein (for example 1 to 10) also incorporates reference to all related numbers within that range (for example, 1, 1.1, 2, 3, 3.9, 4, 5, 6, 6.5, 7, 8, 9 and 10) and also any range of rational numbers within that range (for example 2 to 8, 1.5 to 5.5 and 3.1 to 4.7) and, therefore, all sub-ranges of all ranges expressly disclosed herein are expressly disclosed. These are only examples of what is specifically intended and all possible combinations of numerical values between the lowest value and the highest value enumerated are to be considered to be expressly stated in this application in a similar manner. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention relates generally to post-operative pain management and to increased rates of wound healing. In a particular example, the invention provides a nanocomposite for effective post-operative pain management in deer following antler removal and in cattle following dehorning. However, the skilled worker will appreciate that the nanocomposite of the invention has many applications that will be readily apparent to them based on the examples detailed in the present specification. Such applications are contemplated herein as part of the present invention. Pain management in deer Deer antler is a highly vascularized tissue. The superficial temporal artery, a branch of the external carotid artery, branches into the lateral and medial arteries at the base of the pedicle before continuing rostrally. Another branch of the superficial temporal artery, the intermediate artery, connects both the lateral and medial arteries, thus forming a vascular ring at the base of the pedicle. This ring gives off several branches from distal to the proximal end of the antler. The venous return is by the superficial temporal vein formed by converging lateral and medial veins draining the tip of the antler. The bony structure in the middle of the antlers also contains blood vessels, and they are prone to bleed after antler removal. The innervation to the antler is mainly from the infratrochlear and zygomaticotemporal branches of the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve (CNV). The fast-growing horns of the male deer are termed as velvet antlers due to the covering skin, which looks like velvet. This condition occurs when the antler is in the growing stage, and they are not yet calcified. Eventually, the deer antler becomes calcified to form “hard antler” and after the mating period casts naturally; however, since these antlers lack the velvet covering, the market has no interest in purchasing them. Therefore, harvesting practices in the deer velvet industry focus on antler removal during their growing stage (Kawtikwar et al., 2010). As described previously herein, there are several products and methods currently in use for the removal of velvet antlers. The current industry standard is to use local anaesthesia to abolish the sensation of pain during the procedure. However, only one short-acting local anaesthetic is available for peri- operative pain during antler removal; lidocaine HCL. Lidocaine HCL is favoured because it is very short- acting, and thus minimises the contamination of harvested products with drug residues that are destined for human consumption. For example, the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and opioids as pain relief in deer is prohibited due to detrimental side effects associated with their use e.g., NSAIDs increase the chance of gastrointestinal haemorrhage and renal failure (Lascelles et al., 1995) and opioids are well known to cause dependence in humans (albeit they are poorly studied in livestock). It is for this reason that no other anaesthetic formulations are currently allowed for use in antler removal. An alternative harvest method utilises Natur-O rings to provide local desensitization and control of bleeding. Unfortunately, neither of these practices goes any way towards addressing pain management in deer after their antlers are removed. The only pain management is the ring block, which in case of lidocaine HCL injection, only lasts 90 minutes and in bupivacaine HCL can last from 4 to 7 hours, depending on the formulation. Pain management and wound healing in Cattle Disbudding and dehorning are also painful procedures when performed on beef and dairy cattle. In particular, dehorning can cause several problems including profuse bleeding, exposure of the frontal sinus (a cavity in the skull) leading to increased risk of infection, increased risk of sinusitis, prolonged wound healing, pain and distress. It is a legal requirement in New Zealand to provide pain relief for dehorning. Lidocaine hydrochloride (2%), the commonly used local anaesthetic for dehorning provides only short term pain relief; i.e., about 1.5 hours following the dehorning procedure. However, behavioural, physiological, and neuroendocrine responses suggest that animals feel pain for several hours to days following dehorning. Moreover, the wound healing following dehorning can take up to 3 months or more. There appears to have been no major advances in reducing bleeding and accelerating wound healing in dehorned cattle. In typical farming conditions, minimal measures are taken to manage the post-operative pain and the wound left after the surgical removal of the horn. The wound is left open and sometimes bleeds profusely. There is a risk of death (if bleeding is not controlled) and wounds are infected. Therefore, it is crucial to minimise bleeding and accelerate wound healing in order to reduce wound post-operative infections. In an effort to address the shortcomings of current velvet antler removal and cattle dehorning practices in terms of post- operative pain management, the inventors have determined that a nanocomposite comprising a combination of collagen, ZnO/PVP nanoparticles, bupivacaine HCL and lidocaine HCL can be used to provide sustained pain relief to deer following velvet antler removal and dehorning in cattle. In some embodiments sustained pain relief and increased wound healing can be provided by a nanocomposite comprising a combination of collagen, ZnO/PVP nanoparticles, lidocaine HCL and optionally bupivacaine. In the course of their work, the inventors unexpectedly determined that a nanocomposite as described herein, preferably comprising Type I collagen is surprisingly effective at mediating the sustained release of various anaesthetics when applied to a wound. In a preferred aspect, the nanocomposite comprises a novel combination of the local anaesthetics, bupivacaine HCL and lidocaine HCL. In one non-limiting example, sustained release was found to be particularly effective when these anaesthetics were combined in a collagen wafer containing ZnO/PVP nanoparticles. Local anaesthetic compounds incorporated into collagen wafers comprising nanoparticles were released more gradually as compared to control treatment wafers without ZnO/PVP nanoparticles. Without wishing to be bound by theory, the inventors believe that the addition of nanoparticles during collagen wafer formation alters the architecture of the collagen fibre matrix, providing reinforcement and possibly facilitating adherence of the drugs within the collagen structure. The nanocomposites described also have the advantage of low antigenicity. Collagen structure and uses in drug delivery Collagen, which was discovered by Payen in 1838, is one of the most animal abundant proteins. More than 30 percent of the structural proteins in animals are collagenous, which is present in tissues, including skin, bone, tendon, cartilage, and cornea. The various functions of collagen in these tissues are related to the different collagen types and structures. In vertebrate species, there are more than 28 types of collagens found in the tissues, all of them having a triple helical motif comprising three alpha chains (Bianchera et al., 2020). Collagen as a vehicle in drug delivery is exceptionally biocompatible and biodegradable, and its abundance has made it unique in terms of accessibility. Collagen matrices can be used in various forms including pads, gels, hydrogels and sprays. In some examples, the collagen used to form such matrices can be extracted from the by-products of the leather industry (bovine hide), which makes it abundant and very accessible. Collagen is also attractive for use a nanocomposite, due to its low antigenicity (Meena et al., 1999). Collagen and nanoparticles In one example, Type I collagen is composed of three left-handed polypeptide alpha chains right hand twisted into a triple helical structure. The polypeptide has a repeating amino acid sequence Gly-Xaa- Yaa., where Xaa and Yaa represent arbitrary amino acid residues. Collagen, which is used for biomedical purposes, can be extracted from various sources such as cattle skin and tendon, pig skin, avian skin, fish skin, and rat tail (Chattopadhyay and Raines, 2014). According to Zhang et al. and Li, collagen can be extracted from limed bovine split wastes, using various techniques such as acetic acid and pepsin extraction methods (Zhang et al., 2006, Li, 2003). Each extraction method can result in a different structure and functionality of collagen (Zhang et al., 2006, Li, 2003). Collagen yield is also related to the method of extraction (Li et al., 2008). In a particular embodiment, the Type I collagen is produced by pepsin extraction from cattle skin. Nanoparticles Nanoparticles are ultrafine particles which have a size between 1-100 nm (Scenihr, 2007). The use of nanoparticles to form nanocomposites with collagen polymers is believed to be known in the art. In the context of the present invention, there are various nanoparticles which may be used to form nanocomposites as described herein including zinc oxide (ZnO), titanium oxide, gold (Au), and silver. In the course of their work the inventors have determined that variation in the percentages of nanoparticles incorporated into a nanocomposite as described herein results in marked differences in the sustained release of bupivacaine HCL and lidocaine HCL from the nanocomposite. Particularly surprising to the inventors was the determination that a nanocomposite comprising collagen and 25% by weight of ZnO/PVP nanoparticles could be used to mediate the sustained release of bupivacaine HCL and/or lidocaine HCL, preferably both combined, and provide extended pain relief. In some embodiments, extended pain relief was up to 10 hours. The incorporation of ZnO/PVP nanoparticles into the nanocomposite as described herein also resulted in an increase in the adherence of the nanocomposite to a treated wound. Without wishing to be bound by theory, the inventors believe that this process enhances wound healing by reducing cellular dehydration and facilitating cellular migration which is crucial for wound repair and/or tissue regeneration. Again, without wishing to be bound by theory the inventors believe that other nanoparticles in addition to ZnO will function in a nanocomposite as described herein and may be incorporated into a nanocomposite comprising collagen to provide sustained release of drugs to wound sites. As used herein all references to % nanoparticles in a nanocomposite as described herein are given as % (wt/wt). Nanocomposites A nanocomposite of the invention as described herein can take many forms. In some embodiments, the nanocomposite is in the form of a hydrogel. Generally speaking, a hydrogel is a crosslinked network of hydrophilic polymers which results in a three- dimensional structure dispersed in water. Crosslinks can be either physical, such as hydrogen bonds, hydrophobic interactions, and physical entanglement of polymer chains, or chemical, i.e., covalent bonds. Once in hydrogel form, it is believed that it is within the skill of a person in the art to convert the hydrogel into various different forms for use as described herein including powders, gels, films, wafers, pads, patches, sponges, sprays and adhesives. In one non-limiting example, the hydrogel can be moulded into a wafer or pad and lyophilized for application to a wound as described herein. In some embodiments, application is topical application. It is also believed to be within the skill of those in the art, to use the various forms of the nanocomposite as described herein, in number of treatment applications similar to those detailed herein in deer, as would be readily apparent to them from the disclosure of the present specification combined with the skill in the art. Accordingly, the first aspect of the invention relates to a nanocomposite comprising collagen, ZnO/PVP nanoparticles, lidocaine HCL and bupivacaine HCL. In one embodiment the nanocomposite consists essentially of collagen, ZnO/PVP nanoparticles, lidocaine HCL and bupivacaine HCL. In one embodiment the nanocomposite consists of collagen, ZnO/PVP nanoparticles, lidocaine HCL, bupivacaine HCL and a carrier, diluent or excipient. In one embodiment the nanocomposite is a slow release drug delivery device. In one embodiment the collagen is Type I collagen. In one embodiment the nanocomposite comprises about 6 to about 10 mg/ml collagen, preferably about 8 mg/ml collagen. In one embodiment the nanocomposite comprises 6 to 10 mg/ml collagen, preferably 8.33 mg/ml. In one embodiment the bupivacaine HCL and lidocaine HCL are associated with, and have a substantially homogenous distribution throughout, the polymeric matrix. In one embodiment the ratio of bupivacaine HCL to lidocaine HCL is about 0.1:1 or 0.25:1 or 0.5:1 or 0.75:1 or about 1:1. In one embodiment the ratio of bupivacaine HCL to lidocaine HCL is 0.1:1 or 0.25:1 or 0.5:1 or 0.75:1 or 1:1. In one embodiment the ZnO/PVP nanoparticles nanoparticles are replaced with a nanoparticle selected from the group consisting of titanium dioxide, gold (Au) and silver nanoparticles, and nanoparticles of organic compounds. In one embodiment the nanoparticles are monodispersed. In one embodiment the nanoparticles range in size from 20 to 100 nm. In one embodiment the nanocomposite comprises Type I collagen, ZnO/PVP nanoparticles, bupivacaine HCL and lidocaine HCl. In one embodiment the nanocomposite consists essentially of Type I collagen, ZnO/PVP nanoparticles, bupivacaine HCL and lidocaine HCL. In one embodiment the nanocomposite consists of Type I collagen, ZnO/PVP nanoparticles, bupivacaine HCL, lidocaine HCL and a carrier, diluent or excipient. In one embodiment the nanocomposite comprises about 0.1% to about 30% (wt/wt) nanoparticles, preferably about 1% to about 25%, preferably about 5% to about 25%, preferably about 5%, about 10%, about 15%, about 20%, preferably about 25% nanoparticles. In one embodiment the nanocomposite comprises 0.1% to 30% (wt/wt) nanoparticles, preferably 1% to 25%, preferably 5% to 25%, preferably 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, preferably 25% nanoparticles. In one embodiment the nanocomposite comprises 0.1% to about 30% nanoparticles, preferably about 1% to 25%, about 5% to 25%, preferably about 10% to 25% nanoparticles. In one embodiment the nanocomposite comprises 0.1% to 30% nanoparticles, preferably 1% to 25%, 5% to 25%, preferably 10% to 25% nanoparticles. In one embodiment the nanocomposite comprises a sufficient amount of bupivacaine HCL and lidocaine HCL to provide sustained pain relief. In one embodiment the nanocomposite comprises a sufficient amount of lidocaine HCL and optionally bupivacaine HCL to provide sustained pain relief. In one embodiment sustained pain relief is relief for about 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or about 12 hours, preferably for about 7, 8, 9, 10 or about 11 hours, preferably for about 8, 9 or 10 hours, preferably for about 10 hours. In one embodiment sustained pain relief is relief for 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12 hours, preferably for 7, 8, 9, 10 or 11 hours, preferably for 8, 9 or 10 hours, preferably for 10 hours. In one embodiment the nanocomposite comprises about 1 to about 30 mg/ml bupivacaine HCL, preferably about 5 to about 25 mg/ml, about 10 to about 20 mg/ml, about 12 to about 16 mg/ml, about 13 to about 15 mg/ml, about 14 mg/ml. In one embodiment the nanocomposite comprises 1 to 30 mg/ml bupivacaine HCL, preferably 5 to 25 mg/ml, 10 to 20 mg/ml, 12 to 16 mg/ml, 13 to 15 mg/ml, 14 mg/ml. In one embodiment the nanocomposite comprises about 1 to about 30 mg/ml lidocaine HCL, preferably about 5 to about 25 mg/ml, about 10 to about 20 mg/ml, about 12 to about 16 mg/ml, about 13 to about 15 mg/ml, about 14 mg/ml. In one embodiment the nanocomposite comprises 1 to 30 mg/ml lidocaine HCL, preferably 5 to 25 mg/ml, 10 to 20 mg/ml, 12 to 16 mg/ml, 13 to 15 mg/ml, 14 mg/ml. In one embodiment the release rate of bupivacaine HCL from the nanocomposite is about 32000 ng.mL- ¹ .min ^-1 or less, preferably about 30000 ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 or less, about 27000 ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 or less, preferably about 15000 ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 or less. In one embodiment the release rate of bupivacaine HCL is about 12300 ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 or less. In one embodiment the release rate of bupivacaine HCL from the nanocomposite is about as shown in Table 1 (ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 ) or less. In one embodiment the release rate of bupivacaine HCL from the nanocomposite is 32000 ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 or less, preferably 30000 ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 or less, 27000 ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 or less, preferably 15000 ng.mL- ¹ .min ^-1 or less. In one embodiment the release rate of bupivacaine HCL is 12300 ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 or less. In one embodiment the release rate of bupivacaine HCL from the nanocomposite is as shown in Table 1 (ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 ) or less. In one embodiment the release rate of lidocaine HCL from the nanocomposite is about 47000 ng.mL- ¹ .min ^-1 or less, preferably about 37000 ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 or less, about 27000 ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 or less, preferably about 15000 ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 or less. In one embodiment the release rate of lidocaine HCL from the nanocomposite is about 12750 ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 or less. In one embodiment the release rate of lidocaine HCL from the nanocomposite is about as shown in Table 1 (units given are in ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 ) or less. In one embodiment the release rate of lidocaine HCL from the nanocomposite is 47000 ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 or less, preferably 37000 ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 or less, 27000 ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 or less, preferably 15000 ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 or less. In one embodiment the release rate of lidocaine HCL from the nanocomposite is 12750 ng.mL- ¹ .min ^-1 or less. In one embodiment the release rate of lidocaine HCL from the nanocomposite is as shown in Table 1 (units given are in ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 ) or less. In one embodiment the nanocomposite is in the form of a gel, hydrogel, powder or spray. In one embodiment the nanocomposite is a solid or semi-solid. In one embodiment the solid or semi-solid is in the form of a film, sheet, wafer, patch, pad, powder, foam, paste, spray, aerosol spray or cream, preferably a wafer or pad. Preferably the nanocomposite is in the form of a wafer. In one embodiment the nanocomposite is formed as a wound dressing. In another aspect, the invention relates to a nanocomposite comprising collagen, ZnO/PVP nanoparticles, lidocaine HCL and optionally bupivacaine HCL. Specifically contemplated as embodiments of this nanocomposite aspect of the invention are all of the embodiments relating to the first aspect of the invention that is a nanocomposite composition as described previously herein. In another aspect the invention relates to a nanocomposite comprising collagen, lidocaine HCL and bupivacaine HCL for use in treating pain. In one embodiment the nanocomposite comprises ZnO/PVP nanoparticles, lidocaine HCL and bupivacaine HCL. In one embodiment the nanocomposite consists essentially of collagen, ZnO/PVP nanoparticles, lidocaine HCL and bupivacaine HCL. In one embodiment the nanocomposite consists of collagen, ZnO/PVP nanoparticles, lidocaine HCL, bupivacaine HCL and a carrier, diluent or excipient. In another aspect the invention relates to a nanocomposite comprising collagen, lidocaine HCL and optionally bupivacaine HCL for use in treating pain. In one embodiment the nanocomposite comprises collagen, ZnO/PVP nanoparticles, lidocaine HCL and optionally bupivacaine HCL. In one embodiment the nanocomposite consists essentially of collagen, ZnO/PVP nanoparticles, lidocaine HCL and optionally bupivacaine HCL. In one embodiment the nanocomposite consists of collagen, ZnO/PVP nanoparticles, lidocaine HCL, optionally bupivacaine HCL and a carrier, diluent or excipient. In one embodiment the collagen is Type I collagen. Specifically contemplated as embodiments of the above use aspects of the invention are all of the embodiments relating to the nanocomposite aspects of the invention as described previously herein. Additionally: In one embodiment the nanocomposite is for use in treating pain in an animal. In one embodiment the animal is a mammal. In one embodiment the mammal is a non-human mammal. In one embodiment the non-human mammal is a livestock animal. In one embodiment the non-human mammal is of the family Cervidae. In one embodiment the cervid is Cervus elaphus, Cervus canadensis, or Cervus nippon, preferably Cervus elaphus. In one embodiment the non-human mammal is of the family Bovidae. In one embodiment the bovid is of the genus Bos. In one embodiment the bovid is Bos taurus or Bos indicus. In one embodiment the use comprises application of the nanocomposite to the surface of an open wound on the non-human mammal. In one embodiment the open wound is an internal or external wound or combination thereof. In one embodiment the open wound is an external wound. In one embodiment the open wound is an internal wound. In one embodiment the open wound is a vascularized wound. In one embodiment the vascularized wound is one that was created by removing an antler or horn, preferably antler, preferably horn, from the non-human mammal. In one embodiment the nanocomposite comprises a coating, film, wafer or pad. Preferably the nanocomposite comprises or is in the form of a wafer. In one embodiment the nanocomposite is for use to alleviate pain due to antler or horn, preferably antler, preferably horn, removal from the non-human animal. In one embodiment pain is alleviated for at least 4, preferably at least 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or preferably at least 12 hours from contact. In one embodiment the alleviation of pain is determined mechanical nociceptor threshold (MNT) testing. In another aspect the invention relates to a method of treating pain in a mammal comprising contacting an open wound of the mammal with a nanocomposite as described herein. In one embodiment the mammal is a non-human mammal. In one embodiment the non-human mammal is a livestock animal. In one embodiment the non-human mammal is of the family Cervidae. In one embodiment the cervid is Cervus elaphus, Cervus canadensis, or Cervus nippon, preferably Cervus elaphus. In one embodiment the non-human mammal is of the family Bovidae. In one embodiment the bovid is of the genus Bos. In one embodiment the bovid is Bos taurus or Bos indicus. In one embodiment the open wound is an internal or external wound or combination thereof. In one embodiment the open wound is an external wound. In one embodiment the open wound is an internal wound. In one embodiment contacting is for about 10 hours. In one embodiment contacting is for at least 10 hours. In one embodiment contacting is for at least one day, preferably at least two, three, four, five, six, preferably at least seven days. In one embodiment contacting is for at least one week, preferably for at least two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, preferably at least twelve weeks. In one embodiment contacting is for about one day, preferably about two, three, four, five, six, preferably about seven days. In one embodiment contacting is for about one week, preferably for about two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, preferably about twelve weeks. In one embodiment contacting is for one day, preferably two, three, four, five, six, preferably seven days. In one embodiment contacting is for one week, preferably for two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, preferably twelve weeks. In one embodiment contacting comprises contacting with a nanocomposite according to the invention having a release rate of bupivacaine HCL of about 32000 ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 or less, preferably about 30000 ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 or less, about 27000 ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 or less, preferably about 15000 ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 or less. In one embodiment the release rate of bupivacaine HCL is about 12300 ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 or less. In one embodiment the release rate of bupivacaine HCL from the nanocomposite is about as shown in Table 1 (units given are in ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 ) or less. In one embodiment contacting comprises contacting with a nanocomposite according to the invention having a release rate of lidocaine HCL of about 47000 ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 or less, preferably about 37000 ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 or less, about 27000 ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 or less, preferably about 15000 ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 or less. In one embodiment the release rate of lidocaine HCL from the nanocomposite is about 12750 ng.mL- ¹ .min ^-1 or less. In one embodiment the release rate of lidocaine HCL from the nanocomposite is about as shown in Table 1 (units given are in ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 ) or less. In one embodiment contacting comprises contacting with a nanocomposite according to the invention having a release rate of bupivacaine HCL of 32000 ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 or less, preferably 30000 ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 or less, 27000 ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 or less, preferably 15000 ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 or less. In one embodiment the release rate of bupivacaine HCL is 12300 ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 or less. In one embodiment the release rate of bupivacaine HCL from the nanocomposite is as shown in Table 1 (units given are in ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 ) or less. In one embodiment contacting comprises contacting with a nanocomposite according to the invention having a release rate of lidocaine HCL of 47000 ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 or less, preferably 37000 ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 or less, 27000 ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 or less, preferably 15000 ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 or less. In one embodiment the release rate of lidocaine HCL from the nanocomposite is 12750 ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 or less. In one embodiment the release rate of lidocaine HCL from the nanocomposite is as shown in Table 1 (units given are in ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 ) or less. In one embodiment treating pain comprises alleviating pain for about 4, preferably about 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or preferably about 12 hours. In one embodiment treating pain comprises alleviating pain for 4, preferably 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or preferably 12 hours. In one embodiment the alleviation of pain is determined mechanical nociceptor threshold (MNT) testing. Additionally, and specifically contemplated as embodiments of this method aspect of the invention are all of the embodiments relating to the aspects of the invention that are nanocomposites and nanocomposites for use as described previously herein. In another aspect the invention relates to a method of increasing the rate of mammalian wound healing comprising contacting an open wound of the mammal with a nanocomposite as described herein. In one embodiment the non-human mammal is a livestock animal. In one embodiment the non-human mammal is of the family Cervidae. In one embodiment the cervid is Cervus elaphus, Cervus canadensis, or Cervus nippon, preferably Cervus elaphus. In one embodiment the non-human mammal is of the family Bovidae. In one embodiment the bovid is of the genus Bos. In one embodiment the bovid is Bos taurus or Bos indicus. In one embodiment the open wound is an internal or external wound or combination thereof. In one embodiment the open wound is an external wound. In one embodiment the open wound is an internal wound. In one embodiment the composition comprises a coating, film, wafer, or pad. In one embodiment the composition is a wafer. In one embodiment the wafer is a collagen wafer. In one embodiment the wafer comprises about 1% to about 10% lidocaine HCL, preferably about 2% to about 8%, about 3% to about 6%, about 4% to about 5%, preferably about 4% lidocaine HCL. In one embodiment the collagen wafer comprises 1% to 10% lidocaine HCL, preferably 2% to 8%, 3% to 6%, 4% to 5%, preferably 4% lidocaine HCL. In one embodiment contacting is for at least one, preferably at least two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven or twelve days. In one embodiment contacting is for at least one, preferably at least two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven or twelve weeks. In one embodiment contacting is contacting until the wound is at least 70% healed, preferably at least 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, at least 99% healed, preferably completely healed. In one embodiment the open wound site is a wound site created by physical dehorning of the bovid. In one embodiment the rate of wound healing is increased by about 10%, preferably by about 11%, 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%, 16%, 17%, 18%, 19%, 20%, 21%, 22%, 23%, 25%, 25%, 26%, 27%, 28%, 29%, preferably about 30% or more as compared to an untreated control wound. In one embodiment the rate of wound healing is increased by 10%, preferably by 11%, 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%, 16%, 17%, 18%, 19%, 20%, 21%, 22%, 23%, 25%, 25%, 26%, 27%, 28%, 29%, preferably 30% as compared to an untreated control wound. In one embodiment the rate of wound healing is increased by at least 10%, preferably by at least 11%, 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%, 16%, 17%, 18%, 19%, 20%, 21%, 22%, 23%, 25%, 25%, 26%, 27%, 28%, 29% or at least 30% as compared to an untreated control wound. In one embodiment the physical dehorning is cutting or sawing. In one embodiment the open wound is the result of dehorning. In one embodiment contacting is for at least one day, preferably at least two, three, four, five, six, preferably at least seven days. In one embodiment contacting is for at least one week, preferably for at least two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, preferably at least twelve weeks. In one embodiment contacting is for about one day, preferably about two, three, four, five, six, preferably about seven days. In one embodiment contacting is for about one week, preferably for about two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, preferably about twelve weeks. In one embodiment contacting is for one day, preferably two, three, four, five, six, preferably seven days. In one embodiment contacting is for one week, preferably for two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, preferably twelve weeks. Specifically contemplated as embodiments of these method aspects of the invention are all of the embodiments relating to the nanocomposite, method and use aspects of the invention previously described herein. In another aspect the invention relates to a method of controlling or preventing mammalian infection comprising contacting an open wound on and/or in the mammal with a nanocomposite comprising collagen, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) capped zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (ZnO/PVP nanoparticles), lidocaine HCL and bupivacaine HCL. In another aspect the invention relates to a method of controlling or preventing mammalian infection comprising contacting an open wound on and/or in the mammal with a nanocomposite comprising collagen, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) capped zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (ZnO/PVP nanoparticles), lidocaine HCL and optionally bupivacaine HCL. In another aspect the invention relates to a method of reducing mammalian wound hemorrhaging comprising contacting an open wound on and/or in the mammal with a nanocomposite comprising collagen, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) capped zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (ZnO/PVP nanoparticles), lidocaine HCL and bupivacaine HCL. In another aspect the invention relates to a method of reducing mammalian wound hemorrhaging comprising contacting an open wound on and/or in the mammal with a nanocomposite comprising collagen, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) capped zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (ZnO/PVP nanoparticles), lidocaine HCL and optionally bupivacaine HCL. Specifically contemplated as embodiments of these method aspects of the invention are all of the embodiments relating to the nanocomposite, method and use aspects of the invention previously described herein. The invention will now be illustrated in a non-limiting way by reference to the following examples. EXAMPLES General Materials and Methods Preparation of a nanocomposite comprising local anaesthetics - wafers Freeze-dried type I collagen was thoroughly mixed with HCL 0.01M (5:1 mg/ml to prepare a hydrogel. ZnO/PVP nanoparticles prepared as described in Agban et al. 2016 and Lian et al. 2017 were added to the collagen hydrogel at a ratio of 1:2. For studies carried out in vitro, the nanocomposite was prepared in the form of circular white wafers (treatment wafers), 10 mm in diameter. All the wafers had a collagen concentration of 20 mg/mL (total collagen in each wafer was 24 mg). Every wafer had 17 mg/mL of each (total drug in each wafer is 20.4 mg). The percentage of ZnO/PVP nanoparticles varied between 0, 5, 10, and 25 percent in each collagen wafer. All the components were mixed in either solution, emulsion, or colloid form to have an even distribution in the final wafer. For studies carried out in vivo, 9.6 mL hydrogels containing 80mg freeze-dried collagen, 136mg of lidocaine HCL,136mg bupivacaine HCL and either 0, 4 or 20 mg of ZnO/PVP nanoparticles depending on the treatment group were made up. The diameter of each wafer was 3.8 cm (area of 9.5 cm²), and the thickness was 0.5 cm, and all the wafers contained 136 mg of each drug (bupivacaine HCL and lidocaine HCL) in their structure (Fig. 1). Example 1 – In vitro study; Franz diffusion cells The following experiment was designed to investigate the passage of lidocaine HCL and bupivacaine HCL through the dialysis membrane located between the donor and receptor chambers of Franz Diffusion Cells. The aliquots were collected from the receptor chamber over time to be able to study the trend of drug release through the simulating system. The collected samples were analysed to study the rate of release between the groups. For a better comparison, regression lines are created, and the slopes determine the rate of drug release. This analysis makes it easier to compare the release between the groups and select the slowest release as best the candidate for prolonged (extended) analgesia or pain relief in deer. Materials and methods Each Franz diffusion cell has two separate chambers, the donor and the receptor (Fig. 2). Initially, the magnetic stirrers were placed in the recipient chambers, and the previously cut and weighed dialysis membranes were carefully placed in between the recipient and donor chambers. Then, the stainless- steel clamps were used to keep the dialysis membranes steady in the place and prevent leaking. Each receptor chamber of the diffusion cells was carefully filled with 8 mL of Phosphate-Buffered saline (PBS) (pH 7.45). 0.5ml aliquots were sampled with 23G needles attached to a 2.5 mL syringe. These samples were placed into individual 2 ml microtubes. Samples were drawn from the placed PVS tubes in the sampling ports, starting from time zero (t0), every 15 minutes for the first hour (until t60 min), then at t120 min and eventually every 2 hours until 12 hours had elapsed. The cells were refilled to 8ml with PBS solution after each sampling. The Franz diffusion cells were maintained at 38 ^o C throughout this experiment. Before placement of the controls and treatments on the membranes on the donor chambers, four drops of deer plasma (weighing ~ 247 mg) were added with disposable Pasteur pipette to the donor side to have a condition similar to the wound. In vitro study design One control group and four treatment groups with six replicants in each group were involved in the in vitro study. The control group contained 20 mg lidocaine HCL and 20 mg bupivacaine HCL in a solution form (1 ml drawn from 20 mg/ml lidocaine HCL and bupivacaine HCL solution and squirted in the donor chamber of Franz diffusion cell). All the treatments contained 20.4 mg of each drug in them; however, the concentrations of ZnO/PVP nanoparticles varied. Treatment 1 had 25%, treatment 2 had 10%, treatment 3 had 5%, and treatment 4 had zero or no nanoparticles in collagen composite. Sample preparation The sample aliquots from the Franz diffusion cells were centrifuged at 14000X for 10 minutes, and after transferring to the HPLC vials for analysis. Sample analysis HPLC instrumentation: The HPLC system consisted of LC-20AD pumps (Shimadzu, Japan), an SIL-20AC HT auto-injector (Shimadzu, Japan), a diode array (DA) detector SPD-M20A (Shimadzu, Japan), a CTO-20A column oven (Shimadzu, Japan) and DGU-20A3 degasser (Shimadzu, Japan). All chromatograms were analysed by LC solution software (Shimadzu, Japan). Mobile Phase preparation The mobile phase consisted of 75% buffer consist of potassium phosphate 30 mM and 0.016% triethylamine (pH was adjusted on 4.9 with orthophosphoric acid and NaOH 1N), and the organic solvent was 25% acetonitrile. The buffer was made using HPLC grade with milli-Q water (Milli-Q PFplus system; Millipore Corporation). The flow rate was determined 1 mL/min. The separation was achieved using Phenomenex C18A (Luna® 5 µm C18100 Å, LC column 150 x 4.6 mm internal diameter, 5μm particle size) column maintained under isocratic conditions at 40°C. The DA (Diode Array) detector was set at 210 nm wavelength. Lowest Limit Quantification and Lowest Limit of Quantification: The lower limit of quantification (LLQ) in the mobile phase was measured by running a series of low concentrations of bupivacaine HCL and Lidocaine HCL and mixed bupivacaine HCL and lidocaine HCL standard (1000, 500, 250, 125, 62.5 and 31.25 and 16.12 ng/mL) diluted in the mobile phase. The LLQ was set at the lowest concentration showing a signal to noise ratio of 10. Accuracy: The linearity of the measurements was checked by running duplicate runs of five different concentrations (1000, 500, 250, 125, 62.5 ng/mL) three times in the mobile phase, every day for six consecutive days, and they were linear with the R square of more than 0.99. These data were analysed by linear regression in Microsoft Excel (version 2019). The linearity curved was more than R square of 0.99 for both lidocaine HCL and bupivacaine HCL. Precision: This test confirms the sensitivity of the proposed HPLC procedure, and it increases our understanding of how low we can detect the concentration of lidocaine HCL and bupivacaine HCL in our future tests. The lowest limit of detection (LLD) was as low as 10 ng/mL in our tests, and the lowest level of quantification (LLQ) was 31.25 ng/ml. The measurement variations for intraday values with relative standard deviation (RSD) of <10%, and inter-day values with RSD <15% were determined consistent. Additionally, for the lowest level of detection RSD <20% was determined consistent. Results HPLC validation In the obtained chromatograms, the retention time for lidocaine HCL was about 5 minutes, and for bupivacaine HCL was about 12 minutes. The run time for each sample was 15 minutes. The absence of any peak at the same retention time in the mobile phase eliminates the possibility of any interference due to contamination. The lowest level quantification (LLQ) of this method was 62.5 ng/ml, and the lowest level detection (LLD) was 10 ng/ml. The correlation coefficient was more than 0.995 for the standard curves, which were made by milli-Q water with various concentrations of standard lidocaine HCL and bupivacaine HCL. For bupivacaine HCL, the inter-day variation (RSD) for this method in water ranged from 2.27 to 5.18 percent, and the and intra-day variation (RSD) ranged from 1.57 to 12.93 percent. For lidocaine HCL, the inter-day variation (RSD) for this method in water ranged from 0.41 to 2.56 percent. And intra-day variation (RSD) ranged from 1.56 to 7.48 percent. Franz diffusion cell and drug release In total, 600 tests were performed, which resulted in drug concentrations of 15572.34 ng/ml and 6713296 ng/ml as the minimum and maximum. The values only in treatment groups (25NP, 10NP, 5NP, and 0NP) were normally distributed. The overall bupivacaine HCL and lidocaine HCL least-squares means (±SEM) of concentration were 392205.67± 37495.14 and 555847.08± 37495.14 (ng/ml), respectively. The least-squares means (±SEM) of bupivacaine HCL concentration (ng/ml) in groups control, 0NP, 5NP, 10NP, 25NP were 660791.26±83841.68, 386862.63±83841.68, 366694.9±83841.68, 306399.13±83841.68, 240280.44±83841.68, respectively. The least-squares means (±SEM) of lidocaine HCL concentration (ng/ml) in groups control, 0NP, 5NP, 10NP, 25NP were 700510.12±83841.68, 690838.96±83841.68, 605253.04±83841.68, 494928.64±83841.68, 287704.68±83841.68, respectively. Normality of value distribution of the overall drug concentration in the in vitro groups For Bupivacaine HCL, the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test showed normality in the value distribution of the drug concentrations in total among all the treatment groups with p-values of >0.1000. However, the control group values were not normally distributed with the p-value of 0.0322. For lidocaine HCL, the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test showed normality in the value distribution of the drug concentrations in total among all the treatment groups with p-values of >0.1000. However, the control group values were not normally distributed with the p-value of 0.0157. Differences between least-squares means Summing up the values from all groups, the least-squares means of bupivacaine HCL and lidocaine HCL concentrations (ng/ml) were significantly different from each other (P<0.0001). For bupivacaine HCL, no significant difference was seen among the groups. However, for lidocaine HCL, significant differences were seen in groups 0NP vs 10NP (P<0.05), 0NP vs. 25NP (P<0.0001), 0NP vs. control (P<0.0001), 10NP vs. 25NP (P<0.05), 25NP vs. 5NP (P<0.001) and 5NP vs. control (P<0.001). The characteristics of drug release for bupivacaine HCL and lidocaine HCL Measurements obtained from the control groups (Figs. 7 and 8) showed a sudden drug release starting from the 6th hour in bupivacaine HCL and starting from the 4th hour in the lidocaine HCL group. Measurements from the treatment groups showed more consistency in drug release pattern compared to controls for both bupivacaine HCL and lidocaine HCL. The treatment collagen wafers crosslinked with 25% nanoparticles showed the lowest concentrations of lidocaine HCL and bupivacaine HCL sampled from the receptor chamber of Franz Cells compared to collagen wavers crosslinked with 10%, 5% and 0% nanoparticles, indicating that that less drug had passed through the membrane. On the contrary, the treatment group involving non-crosslinked wafers (0% nanoparticles) showed more drug passage through the membrane compared to the other groups, meaning that drug release was the fastest. Drug release rates by the log of concentration The release rate was calculated by transforming the ^^ axis values (concentration in ng/ml) to their log (log ng.mL ^-1 .min ^-1 ). The calculated slopes (±SEM) for bupivacaine HCL were; 0.00483±0.00037, 0.00289±0.00037, 0.00296±0.00037, 0.00296±0.00037 and 0.00152±0.00037 for control, 0NP, 5NP, 10NP and 25NP, respectively. The calculated slopes (±SEM) for lidocaine HCL were; 0.00456± 0.00029, 0.00298± 0.00030, 0.00288±0.00028, 0.00281± 0.00028 and 0.00139± 0.00028 for control, 0NP, 5NP, 10NP and 25NP, respectively. For better analysis of the slopes and due to high measurements for concentrations (ng/ml), the actual concentrations were transformed to log of concentrations (log_conc) (Figs 9 and 10). ANOVA test showed significant difference between the slopes of study groups for bupivacaine HCL and lidocaine HCL (P<0.0001 and P<0.0001). Significant differences were observed between the groups for bupivacaine HCL; 0NP vs. control (P<0.001), 0NP vs. 25NP (P<0.01), 10NP vs. 25NP (P<0.01), 10NP vs. control (P<0.001), 25NP vs. 5NP (P<0.01), and 25NP vs. control (P<0.0001) (Fig. 6) Significant differences were observed between the groups for lidocaine HCL; 0NP vs. control (P<0.001), 0NP vs. 25NP (P=0.0001), 10NP vs. 25NP (P<0.001), 10NP vs. control (P<0.0001), 25NP vs. 5NP (P<0.001), 25NP vs. control (P<0.0001), and 5NP vs. control (P<0.05) (Fig. 7). Drug release rates by Higuchi model Sustained release of the drugs does not follow zero-order kinetics; therefore, some specific models should be used for the calculations of release rate. The simplified version of the Higuchi model for drug release kinetics was used here. where Q is the amount of drug released on time t by area unit, KH is the release constant of Higuchi, and t is time in minutes. The release rate was calculated by transforming the ^^ axis values (time in min) to their square roots and dividing drug concentration over time The calculated slopes (±SEM) for bupivacaine HCL were; 44695.01± 2587.94, 29100.15± 2471.34, 27511.04± 2471.34, 23531.68± 2471.34 and 12298.93± 2471.34 for control, 0NP, 5NP, 10NP and 25NP, respectively (Fig. 8). The calculated slopes (±SEM) for lidocaine HCL were; 42281.40± 2105.77, 51602.84± 2002.79, 44626.81±2002.79, 35623.80± 2002.79 and 12745.49± 2002.79 for control, 0NP, 5NP, 10NP and 25NP, respectively (Fig. 9). Drug release rates are reported in Table 1 and shown in Figure 10. Table 1 ANOVA test showed a significant difference between the slopes of study groups for bupivacaine HCL and lidocaine HCL (P<0.0001 and P<0.0001). Significant differences were observed between the groups for bupivacaine HCL; 0NP vs. control (P<0.001), 0NP vs. 25NP (P<0.0001), 10NP vs. 25NP (P<0.01), 10NP vs. control (P<0.0001), 25NP vs. 5NP (P<0.0001), and 25NP vs. control (P<0.0001). Significant differences were observed between the groups for lidocaine HCL; 0NP vs. control (P<0.01), 0NP vs. 10NP (P<0.0001), 0NP vs. 25NP (P<0.0001), 0NP vs. 5NP (P<0.05), 10NP vs. 25NP (P<0.0001), 10NP vs. 5NP (P<0.01), 10NP vs. control (P<0.05), 25NP vs. 5NP (P<0.0001), 25NP vs. control (P<0.0001), and 5NP vs. control (P<0.0001). F-test for analysis of variances A significant difference was seen between the variances of treatment groups of 25, 10, 5 and 0 nanoparticle and the control with (P<0.01, P<0.01, P<0.0001, P<0.001) respectively for bupivacaine HCL. F-Test proved that none of the treatment groups had any significant difference in their variances between each other. A significant difference was seen between the variances of treatment groups of 25, 10, 5, and 0 nanoparticles and the control (P<0.001, P<0.0001, P<0.0001, P<0.0001) respectively for lidocaine HCL. None of the treatment groups showed a significant difference in variances between each other. Discussion The in vitro study was performed to investigate the release rate of lidocaine HCL and bupivacaine HCL from collagen wafers compared to the control. The reduction of release rate down to 27% for bupivacaine HCL and 30% for lidocaine HCL in the group with 25% ZnO/PVP in crosslinked collagen composites was evident in the results (Table 2), proving the fact that the sustained release of the drugs was successful. The non-crosslinked collagen composites showed the fastest release rate compared to the crosslinked collagen composites with 65% for bupivacaine HCL and 122% for lidocaine HCL in comparison to the control, which was considered 100% (Table 2). Table 2 - Bupivacaine HCL and lidocaine HCL Release-Rate Compared to Control in Percentage. Control is Considered 100%. Without wishing to be bound by theory, the inventors believe that the results may be explained as follows. Collagen matrices, particularly in sponge form, exposed to wound exudate, expand initially to form a gelatinous structure before subsequent slow dehydration. Simultaneously, enzymatic degradation variably occurs at the site due to the influx of wound exudate, which increases the degradability of the matrix and affects drug release. As a consequence, the active drugs incorporated in the matrices (e.g., bupivacaine HCL and lidocaine HCL) diffuse through the denatured collagen matrix and are taken up by the underlying tissue. Within the collagen sponge, the drug can exist either linked to the polymeric chains or as free drug within the matrix. The free drug molecules reside in the partially open porous structure are freely available for a rapid uptake via desorption phenomenon. In contrast, the majority of the bound drugs are only released after enzymatic degradation, thus providing a source of drug over an extended period. In this manner, a nanocomposite of the invention, particularly in the form of a treatment pad as described herein, provides the unexpected advantage of providing sustained release of a short acting anaesthetic to a healing wound. Example 2 – Animal study - Deer Materials and Methods Animals This study was approved by the Massey University (New Zealand) Animal Ethics Committee (19/70). Forty male deer weighing 116.6 ± 11.38 kg were used in this experiment. Animals were kept in paddocks throughout the study period and had free access to pasture and water. On the study days, all the deer were mustered indoors in the hold pens, and two deer were guided carefully in the hydraulic crush with closed curtains to reduce their exposure to stressors as much as possible. While indoors, they had access to water and multi fed nuts (Sharpes Stock Feeds, Carterton, New Zealand). At the end of the day, all the animals were let out back on the pasture. All the animals were clinically inspected by a vet for demeanour, lameness, any injuries around the head and lungs and heart were auscultated before the experiment. Study Design The animal study group comprised 40 total animals. The animals in were divided into four groups, ten animals each, for subsequent comparative treatments. The four groups were made up of three treatment groups (25%NP or T1, 5%NP or T2, 0%NO or T3) and a control group. The control group followed current industry protocol. A tourniquet was applied at the base of the antlers. All the groups received articaine HCL ring block injections (subcutaneous (SC) injections in every 1 cm antler circumference) at the base of the antlers below the tourniquet. The antlers were removed after testing the efficacy of the local anaesthetic using a saw. In the treatment groups, treatment and control wafers were placed immediately on the open stump wounds after the antler removal procedure. For better adherence, the hair around the edges of the removed antler was clipped using an electrical clipper. All the tourniquets were removed after two hours. Pain assessments Pain assessments were carried out by a trained assessor using a handheld algometer (FPX 25, Wagner Instruments, Greenwich, CT, USA) with a 2-mm-diameter round stainless-steel tip. The pain measurement was performed in three alternate days in one week for inter-day assessment. Four sites, including cranial, medial, caudal, and lateral aspects of each antler (Fig. 3) were used for mechanical nociceptor threshold (MNT) testing. Force was recorded in Newtons (N) while being applied against the antler root only 1 cm below the pedicle. The force reading on the device froze with every sudden head shake, and the output on the screen was recorded in a data collection sheet. In any case of misalignment of the tip of the algometer to the antler surface, the measurement was repeated. Half of the deer were tested on the right antler first, followed by the left antler and vice versa. This was performed to minimise the animal’s anticipation of the procedure and reduce bias. The cut-off point for pressure algometry was determined 50 N (Stubsjøen et al., 2010)., to minimise any tissue damage and extra discomfort in animals. Pain assessments were performed before the administration of local anaesthetics (baseline) and before the antler removal (t0), followed by measurements taken 2, 4, 8, and 24 hours after antler removal in all the groups. The values of baseline pain threshold measurements, which were recorded 50 N and beyond was labelled as “NR” or “No Response,” and none of the further values from that specific antler site was counted in data analyses to decrease bias in the study. Any values which were above 50 N after the baseline reading at t0 were involved in the measurements as 50, which had the meaning of no pain in our study design. Blood sampling Pharmacokinetic assays were carried out on treatment groups only. Blood for the pharmacokinetic analysis was collected from right and left jugular veins before the administration of local anaesthetics (t0) followed by 2, 4, 8, and 24 hours after the application of collagen wafers. A 7 mL blood sample was collected using a 21G vacutainer needle. The vacutainers were immediately centrifuged at 4500 RPM for 5 minutes. The plasma was harvested and stored at -20 °C in aliquots of 2mL Eppendorf tubes. Plasma samples Sample preparation Plasma sample preparation was performed using a positive pressure solid-phase extraction (SPE) procedure (Biotage®, PRESSURE+, Uppsala, Sweden) with Phenomenex Strata-X™ 60 mg/3 ml Polymeric Reversed-Phase SPE cartridges (Phenomenex). A 200 µl aliquot of plasma was taken for t0 and t24 samples. For t1, t2, t4, t6, t8, a 20 µl aliquot of plasma was diluted with 180 µl milli-Q water to reduce the concentration to 10%, and then vortex-mixed vigorously with 200 µl 10% Trichloroacetic acid (TCA). This solution was centrifuged at 13000 RPM for 10 minutes. The supernatant was separated and loaded into the SPE cartridge conditioned with 1 ml of acetonitrile, followed by equilibrating with 1 ml of milli-Q water. The SPE tubes were then washed with 1 mL methanol: water of (20:80) followed by drying under high pressure for 10 min. The elution was made with 1 ml acetonitrile into glass tubes. The samples were evaporated to dryness using a Speedvac (Thermo Scientific) for 1 hour, followed by reconstitution with 200 µl of milli-Q water. After a final centrifugation (13000 RPM, 5 min), the samples were transferred to the autosampler of the Liquid-Chromatography Mass Spectrometry system. Injection volume was set at 5 µl with duplicates. Liquid-Chromatography-Mass-Spectrophotometry (LC-MS) Instrumentation and Mobile Phase Liquid chromatography was carried out using an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography system equipped with a quaternary pump, a vacuum degasser, a column compartment, and an autosampler (Dionex Ultimate 3000 System; Thermo Scientific, Germering, Germany). Chromatographic separations were achieved using a 2.6 μM particle size C-18 column (100 mm × 2.1 mm; Accucore, Auckland, NZ) coupled with a security guard column (Defender Guard Column; Accucore) maintained at a temperature of 25°C. The mobile phase consisted of 0.1% formic acid and acetonitrile (75:25, v/v) and was delivered at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/minute. Mass spectrometric detection was performed on a hybrid quadrupole-orbitrap mass spectrometer (Q Exactive Focus Hybrid Quadrupole-Orbitrap Mass Spectrometer; Thermo Scientific, Bremen, Germany) with an electrospray- ionization interface, positive ion mode. The precursor ions of lidocaine HCL (235.18 g/mol), bupivacaine HCL (288.43 g/mol), and procainamide (235.32 g/mol) were included in the target list. They were fragmented into their respective daughter ions using a collision energy of 35eV, which were detected using a resolution of 35,000 FWHM. Data processing was performed using the Xcalibur data system (Thermo Scientific). Linearity The linearity of the measurements was assessed by running six different concentrations (100 to 3.12 ng/ml) twice in pre (spiking the plasma with six concentrations from stick solution) and post spiked (rehydration by Milli-Q water and spiking it with different drug concentrations) deer plasma. These data were subjected to linear regression in Xcalibur software and were analysed in Microsoft Excel software. Accuracy and Precision The linearity of the LC-MS method was determined by linear regression analysis of the samples, which were prepared by dilution of bupivacaine HCL, lidocaine HCL, and both in blank deer plasma. Procainamide was used as an Internal Standard (IS) in all the samples. Calibration curves were constructed using three replicates of bupivacaine HCL, lidocaine HCL, and both in LC- MS water with concentrations between 3.12 to 100 ng/ml. Intra-day and inter-day precision and accuracy of the method were determined by processing three replicates. Specificity and Recovery Blank plasma from 10 different red deer was extracted and analysed to assess the specificity of the SPE and LC-MS method. The extraction recovery was assessed by comparing the pre- and post-spiked samples with bupivacaine HCL and lidocaine HCL and procainamide as an internal standard. Wound healing For comparison of the wound healing process and antler regrowth in animals treated according to the invention compared to control animals, images were taken with Huawei P20 Pro, Leica lens and were stored at google drive. A steel ruler (in centimetre unit) was used in the pictures to be able to calibrate the measurements after transferring the images to ImageJ software (version 1.52r, Wayne Rasband, National Institute of Health, USA). The scale was determined by the allocated ruler next to the wound in each photo and calibrating the measurements using millimetre as the unit. The surface area of the wounds was manually selected in the software by one person, and the area measurement was obtained using mm² unit. All the measurements were transferred to Microsoft Excel sheet for further analysis. Adherence of the treatment wafers to the wound site: The adherence of the treatment wafers was defined as the duration of time the wafers were intact and sticking to the wound. Time in days or hours was recorded when a treatment wafer was lost. Data analysis Statistical analyses were performed in SAS (version 9.4) and GraphPad Prism LLC, version 8.3.0. The dependent variable, which was drug concentration in ng/ml was analysed with the MIXED procedure using a linear mixed model for repeated measures. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test indicated that the data followed a normal distribution, and data were analysed in the nominal scale without a numerical transformation. For the in vitro studies, the model included the fixed effects; time of measurement 15, 30, 45, 60, 120, 240, 360, 480, 600, and 720 minutes as covariates. For the animal study, the model included the fixed effects; time in minutes (t0, t10, t120, t240, t360, t480 and t600) and for pain assessment and day of measurement (1, 3, 7, 14, 21, 30, 60) for wound healing, antler (right or left), antler site within antler (cranial, medial, caudal and lateral) and as covariates, and the random effect of deer (between-animal variation; σ _a ) and residual (within-animal variation; σ _e ). The repeated measures on the same deer were modelled with a compound symmetry error structure. Least-squares means and standard errors for the fixed effects were obtained and used for multiple mean comparisons using the Fisher’s least significant difference as implemented in the LSMEANS of the MIXED procedure, with a Bonferroni adjustment. The compound symmetry error structure was determined as the most appropriate residual covariance structure based on Akaike’s information criterion. For the in vitro drug release assessment, Higuchi model (Siepmann and Peppas, 2011) was used to assess the controlled drug release rate. Estimates with P<-0.05 were considered significant from zero. Results The results of this study show that the treatment wafers provided analgesia for up to 10 hours compared to the controls, which only lasted a maximum of 2 hours. LC-MS validation and recovery rate The lowest level of detection (LLD) for both bupivacaine HCL and lidocaine HCL was 10 ng/ml. The lowest level of quantification (LLQ) was 62.5 ng/ml, and. The correlation coefficient was more than 0.999 for the standard curves. For bupivacaine HCL, the inter-day variation for this method in deer plasma ranged from 4.17 to 19.72 percent, and the and intra-day variation ranged from 1.48 to 19.32 percent. For lidocaine HCL, the inter-day variation for this method in water ranged from 3.63 to 8.61 percent, and the intra-day variation ranged from 3.71 to 10.54 percent. The extraction recovery rate was 73 percent for bupivacaine HCL and 82% for lidocaine HCL. The relative standard deviation for internal standard (procainamide HCL) was 8.74 percent. Adherence of the collagen wafers All forty animals were healthy in the first days of experiments. However, one animal was euthanized on day 14 of the assessments due to an accident to the hind limb. Another deer also lost an antler on the third day because of severe trauma to the right antler. The majority of the treatment wafers in all the study groups remained intact until the end of the study, which lasted two months. Group T3 (0% NP) (wafers with no crosslinked collagen) showed more fragility and had the least adherence of treatment wafers to wounds compared to the treatment groups in which treatment wafers containing crosslinked collagen were used. In general, in the first 24 hours of the experiment the adherence of the wafers (including the whole wafer, ½ of the wafer or ¼ of the wafer) was as follows: T1 (25% NP): 18 wafers out of 20 adhered on the antlers (90% adherence) T2 (5% NP): 14 wafers out of 20 adhered on the antlers (70% adherence) T3 (0% NP or no crosslinking): 9 wafers out of 20 adhered on the antlers (45% adherence) The least-squares means (±SEM) of the overall period of wafer adherence for 4 study groups were 46.27±6.24, 50.13±6.24, and 35.13±6.24 days in T1, T2, and T3, respectively. In summary, although the treatment wafers in group T1 had the best adherence in the first 24 hours (90%), the treatment wafers in group T2 remained attached to wounded antler surfaces for a greater period of time. The adherences of all treatment wafers used in this study are shown in Appendices A- C. Mechanical Nociceptive Threshold (MNT) A total of 2005 algometer force test results (7 time-points for treatments and 5 time-points for controls) from a minimum of 5.8 N to a maximum of 48.8 N for the baseline or t0 readings and a minimum of 5.80 N, and a maximum of 50 N were recorded in the pain assessments for the treated groups (40 total deer). The pain threshold assessments of all treated groups were continued until 10 hours from t0. However, the pain threshold assessment for the controls was stopped at 6 hours to reduce discomfort and pain to the control animals the values were similar to the baseline measurements. Therefore, for better comparison between the treatment groups and control, the same values obtained at t6 (6 hours after t0) were compared with t8 and t10 in the treatments. Eight sites of one animal in the control group, three sites of one deer in 5 NP group and 2 sites of 0 NP group were excluded from data analysis because they had a pain threshold that was higher than our set cut-off point of 50 N. These animals were recorded as “No Response (NR)”. A Kolmogorov-Smirnov (KS) test showed that the values from all the study groups were normally distributed. The least-squares means (± standard errors) of pain thresholds determined in control, treatments 1 (25% NP), 2 (5% NP), and 3 (0% NP) were 26.93±1.56 Newtons, 40.83±1.37 Newtons, 43.21±1.37, 41.39±1.37 Newtons, respectively (Fig. 11). The differences in least-squares means and slopes A significant difference (P<0.05) was seen among the study groups. The comparison of the least- squares means showed a significant difference in treatment 2 (NP 5%) compared to treatment 1 (NP 25%), and 3 (NP 0%) (P<0.0001). The treatment groups T1 (25% NP), T2 (5% NP), and T3 (0% NP) showed significant differences compared to the control (P<0.01, P<0.01, P<0.01, respectively). The trendline between the groups is shown in Figure 12. The measurements across all the groups rise to cut-off point of 50 (N) force, approximately 10 minutes after the application of the 4% articaine hydrochloride ring block in response to the onset of analgesia. Regarding the comparison of slopes of recovery of analgesia, the control showed a faster trend in returning to the baseline values of pain assessment compared to the treatment groups (Fig. 13). After the exclusion of data obtained at t0 and t10-min from our analyses, a significant difference was seen in the rate of analgesic effect in the treatments compared to the control (P<0.0001). Treatment 2 showed a significant difference in force (Newtons) compared to T2 and T3 (P<0.0001 for both). The comparison of the slopes starting from t10 minutes up to t10 hours among the groups showed a significant difference in force measurements (Newtons) among the treatment groups versus control (P<0.0001). The slopes were -0.084±0.003, -0.023±0.001, -0.016±0.001, and -0.029±0.001 for control, T1, T2, and T3, respectively. ANOVA test showed a significant difference among four groups (P<0.0001). There was a significant difference in the slopes of all study groups compared to each other. All the treatments had a significant difference compared to the control; T1 vs. control (P<0.0001), T2 vs. control (P<0.0001), and T3 vs. control (0.0001). All three treatments also showed a significant difference compared to each other; T1 vs. T2 (P<0.01), T1 vs. T2 (P<0.05), T2 vs. T3 (P<0.0001). Therefore, all the treatment groups with wafers had successful prolonged pain relief compared to the controls, and it extended up to 10 hours after t0. Discussion The treatment wafers used in this study provided all the characteristics of a modern wound dressing in addition to sustained analgesia including preventing cellular dehydration and thus enhancing healing. The inventors also found that in this study the crosslinked treatment wafers (5%NP and 25%NP) possessed better flexibility, integrity, and wound adherence compared to the un-crosslinked wafers. The non-crosslinked treatment wafers were typically lost due to erratic animal movements. Without wishing to be bound by theory the inventors believe that the greater adherence of crosslinked treatment wafers to wound sites was due to the porous structure of the wafers. This structure avoided accumulation of wound exudate under the wafer and absorbed a considerable amount of bleeding. An additional advantage of this greater absorption is an increased adsorption of the treatment wafer to the wound surface, i.e., it sticks better. On this basis the inventors surmise that the treatment wafers as described herein comprise at least some haemostatic properties. The inventors believe, that based on the results presented herein, a person skilled in the art will immediately appreciate the advantages of a nanocomposite as described herein that provides to a wounded animal, an anaesthetic drug, for a sufficient time, and in a sufficient amount, to provide an unanticipated therapeutic effect (i.e., prolonged pain relief via the use of a short acting anaesthetic). This effect is achieved without the use of long-acting pain relievers, the use of which is contradicted in deer due to potential contamination. Example 2 – Animal study - Cattle Healthy, horned cattle (1.4 to 2 years old, males and females) were randomly allocated to one of the four treatment groups: Group 1 – Control (standard dehorning, n = 5), Group 2 – Topical collagen wafers (dehorning followed by application of collagen wafers loaded with 4% lidocaine hydrochloride, n=5), Group 3 – Topical local anaesthetic gel (dehorning followed by application of local anaesthetic gel, Tri- Solfen, n=5). On the day of experiment, animals were restrained in a head bail, sedatives (xylazine 0.05 mg/kg (IM) plus midazolam 0.2 mg/kg (IV)) were administered and animals were released into a clean yard. Once sedated, cornual nerve block was performed by injecting 2% lidocaine hydrochloride (10 mL) subcutaneously around the left cornual nerves (halfway between the horn and the lateral corner of the eye, below the frontal crest) using an 18-gauge 2.5 cm needle. After testing the effect of the nerve block using a nick test (see below), the left horn of each animal was removed by sawing with an embryotomy wire. Major blood vessels were clamped using artery forceps to arrest bleeding. When the bleeding was controlled, the artery forceps were removed, the diameter of the wound was measured, and the topical materials were applied on the dehorning wound (except group 1). Collagen wafers were cut depending on the diameter of the wound and placed on the wound (Figure 6). Tri-solfen (15 ml) was applied on the wound using a sterile 20 mL syringe. Animals were released into a paddock after making sure that bleeding was controlled. Adherence of the wafers and wound healing (size, sealing of exposed frontal sinus, infection, exudation and granulation) were monitored daily for the first 3 days, then twice a week for the first month and then once a week for 5 months following the procedure. Digital photographs of wounds were taken every month until complete wound healing was observed. Animal behaviour (one animal per group) was video recorded for 30 minutes after dehorning, and then for 10 minutes every hour for the first 6 hours. Behaviour was recorded again once daily for 10 minutes approximately 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours following the procedure. Nick test: This test involves making a superficial cut with a wire on the lateral aspect of the sensitive part of the horn until a withdrawal response was observed (movement of head away from the wire or head shaking). When no response to the wire occurred, dehorning was performed. Table 3: Description of cattle behaviours monitored following dehorning Behaviour Definition Head scratching Back and forth movement of the hind leg anywhere on the head. A new bout begins if leg is no longer moving back and forth against the head for >2 seconds. Head shaking Head moves right and left at least once in a successive rapid motion. There must be 1 second between successive rapid side-to-side movements to count as a new head shake. Ear flicking Animal rapidly moves one or both ears to the front and back independent of a head shake. Each time movement constitutes an ear flick. Tonguing Protrusion of tongue from the mouth to lick the side of head or muzzle Head rubbing Back and forth movement of the head on any object. A new bout begins if head does not move against the object for >2 s. Lying Lateral recumbency and sternal recumbency Pain assessments for cattle treated after dehorning were carried out substantially as set forth in Example 1. Results: No adverse effects were seen following the application of any of the topical materials. The wound diameter ranged from 6.2 to 8.0 cm (average 7.1 ± 0.68 cm). Collagen wafers adhered well to the wound surface after application whereas the topical local anaesthetic gel, Tri-Solfen did not stick well to the dehorned wound surface. No dislodgement of collagen wafers was observed in any of the animals during the observation period. Less haemorrhage was observed in animals that received the topical materials (groups 2 and 3) than control animals (group 1). Infection of dehorned wound was observed in two of the animals that received Tri-Solfen and one of the animals in control group. Purulent (pus) discharge was seen two weeks following dehorning in those animals. No infection was seen in animals that received collagen wafers. Table 4 shows the total number of days required for complete healing of dehorned wound. Figure 7 shows the images of dehorned wounds of cattle from each treatment group. Table 4: Number of days required for wound healing in different groups (n=5) Groups Mean ± SD Min. Max. Group 1 (control) 94.16 ± 17.44 85 125 Group 2 (collagen wafers) 69.83 ± 5.49 65 80 Group 3 (Tri-Solfen) 99.66 ± 26.18 76 150 Discussion: Absence of adverse effects following the application of collagen wafers suggest that these biodegradable materials can be safely used on cattle dehorning/disbudding wounds. Collagen wafers assisted in clot formation in minor blood vessels as less haemorrhage was observed following the application of these topical materials compared to control group. No significant differences in the pain related behaviours were observed between treatment groups. Only one animal per group was used for behaviour comparison, which is a limitation of the study. Future studies in a larger population of animals are required to investigate the pain relief properties of collagen wafers. One of the major findings of this study is that application of collagen wafers on dehorning wounds can accelerate wound healing. The average number of days required for complete wound healing following the application of collagen (69.83 ± 5.49 days) wafers was significantly less than the control (94.16 ± 17.44 days) and Tri-Solfen (99.66 ± 26.18 days) groups. None of the animals that received collagen wafers showed any sign of wound infection whereas some of the animals in Tri-solfen and control groups showed purulent discharge from the wound. The data presented here therefore supports that the application of collagen wafers to a dehorning wound prevents secondary infection and assists wound healing. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that application of collagen wafers on dehorning wounds reduces haemorrhage, prevents secondary wound infection, and accelerates wound healing in cattle. Application of these biodegradable materials has the potential to significantly improve the welfare of the cattle undergoing dehorning/disbudding, and by extension of deer following antler removal. INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION The present invention has industrial application in providing pain relief such as post-operative pain relief to livestock following a surgical procedure. Particular application is found in providing pain relief following removal of antlers, specifically velvet antlers, and for dehorning cattle. REFERENCES 1. Bianchera, A., et al., The Place of Biomaterials in Wound Healing, in Therapeutic Dressings and Wound Healing Applications, Advances in Pharmaceutical Technology, J. Boateng, Editor. 2020, Wiley. p. 337-366. 2. Chattopadhyay, S. and R.T. Raines, Review collagen‐based biomaterials for wound healing. Biopolymers, 2014. 101(8): p. 821-833. 3. Gilbey, A. and J.D. Perezgonzalez, Health benefits of deer and elk velvet antler supplements: a systematic review of randomised controlled studies. NZ Med J, 2012. 125(1367): p. 80-86. 4. Kawtikwar, P.S., D.A. Bhagwat, and D.M. Sakarkar, Deer antlers-traditional use and future perspectives. 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Appendices A-C Appendix A

Appendix A – The adherence of the treatment (T1) wafers on the removed antlers in the whole study in the right and left antlers (n=10). Each tick represents the wafer, which was adhered to the antler surface. The cross indicates the wafers were no longer on the surface. The circle represents either euthanasia of the animal or removal of the antler because of accidents during the study. Appendix B

Appendix B – The adherence of the treatment (T2) wafers on the removed antlers in the whole study in the right and left antlers (n=10). Each tick represents the wafer, which was adhered to the antler surface. The cross indicates the wafers were no longer on the surface. The circle represents either euthanasia of the animal or removal of the antler because of accidents during the study.

Appendix C Appendix C – The adherence of the treatment (T3) wafers on the removed antlers in the whole study in the right and left antlers (n=10). Each tick represents the wafer, which was adhered to the antler surface. The cross indicates the wafers were no longer on the surface. The circle represents either euthanasia of the animal or removal of the antler because of accidents during the study.