The present invention relates to a process and apparatus to inhibit the growth of horns and horn buds and to remove horn buds (disbudding) in livestock.
The presence of livestock horns function as a defence mechanism against predators and are utilised within herd or flock hierarchy. In modern day husbandry practices, horns or their precursors, horn buds, are generally removed from livestock at a young age. The term used is dehorning or disbudding. Homed cattle tend to injury each other, can be dangerous for livestock handlers and degrade their carcass value by the resulting bruising and hide damage from the horns.
Livestock, in particular domestic ruminants, can have permanent horns that tend to grow from horn buds at an early age and until maturity is reached. New horn tissue (keratin) is produced throughout the life of the animal, unlike deer, where their antlers tend to shed and then grow back again annually.
Modern day livestock management practices discourage the presence of homed cattle. Polled or hornless livestock, such as seen in sheep and cattle, carry a gene which is inherited and can result in polled progeny.
A common method of horn or bud (early horn stage) removal involves the use of a hot dehorning iron which heats and cauterizes the horn bud and surrounding epidermal or skin tissues. The heat burns and cauterizes both the horn bud and its surroundings and sometimes the covering skin, with the end result of skin covering and replacing the area which contained the horn bud. The animals are often tranquilized and given analgesics now to assist in their recovery, especially within the dairy industry.
The other most common method used in industry, especially in the northern pastoral areas in Australia which needs to be urgently addressed, is the process of cutting the horn or horn bud off the animal's head. A sharp knife excises the horn bud and surrounding skin tissues. This results in suffering of the animal, with blood loss, sometimes post infections and sometimes death. These animals are generally less than one year old and once dehorned in this manner, are much more susceptible to wild dog attacks and losses. The death rate in livestock from this dehorning process is approximately 2% in some areas of Australia. The setback to livestock is significant, however there is little data available. There is an urgent need for this process to be replaced by a humane method that reduces the process pain and post recovery pain and inflammation and has minimal animal impact without blood loss, infections and possible deaths.
The present invention seeks to overcome the adverse impact of the current methods and offers a humane and effective method of disbudding to inhibit further bud or horn growth, which will then align with current livestock management practices. The presence of a residual horn bud from this invention described may differentiate this practice from those current practices previously described.
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of inhibiting the growth of a horn or a horn bud in a livestock animal including the steps of:
Preferably the application of the cryogenic fluid to said horn base and skin layers results in a freezing and thawing of cells and tissues that make up said layers and thereby reducing or eliminating the vascular, cellular and neural integrity of the layers.
Preferably the cryogenic fluid contacting the layers is either in liquid form, gaseous form or a combination of a liquid and gaseous form.
Preferably the surrounding horn base and skin layers is subjected to a cryogenic fluid temperature of between minus 20 degrees Celsius and minus 80 degrees Celsius, preferably minus 50 degrees Celsius.
Preferably the method further includes applying the cryogenic fluid to the whole of the horn bud in a young livestock animal.
Preferably said horn base and surrounding epidermal skin layers after application of the cryogenic fluid, undergoes a healing process where there is a closed wound and where cellular necrosis and scar formation results.
Preferably the targeted skin layers surrounding the horn or horn bud is up to 25 mm wide.
Preferably said cryogenic fluid is liquid nitrogen or liquid air.
Preferably the method further includes determining the amount of cryogenic fluid to use based on the size of the horn or horn bud and the age, breed and size of the livestock animal.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided apparatus for inhibiting the growth of a horn or a horn bud in a livestock animal including:
a vessel having a body through which a cryogenic fluid is applied around the base of the horn or on the horn bud;
such that the cryogenic fluid contacts the horn base and epidermal skin layers that surrounds the horn or horn bud and induces a freeze in said layers to inhibit or prevent any further growth of the horn or horn bud.
Preferably the apparatus further includes one or more apertures or passages through which the cryogenic fluid passes and is directed onto the horn base and the skin surrounding said horn or horn bud.
Preferably said body is open at an end which is placed over the horn or the horn bud.
Preferably the apparatus further includes seal means formed around said end to minimize or prevent the escape of the cryogenic fluid and to assist in directing the cryogenic fluid to said skin layers.
Preferably an opposite end to said end has connected thereto the supply of cryogenic fluid to the apparatus.
Preferably the apparatus further includes a vent hole to release any excess gas released from vaporization of the cryogenic fluid from within the body.
Preferably the apparatus further includes an interior member housing one or more outlets through which the cryogenic fluid flows, said one or more outlets angled so as to deliver the cryogenic fluid directly to the horn bud and the skin layers around and on said horn bud.
Preferably an opposite end to said end is also open to enable the horn of the animal to protrude.
Preferably the apparatus further includes a ring to fit within the confines of the body, said ring having one or more apertures through which flows the cryogenic material.
Preferably said one or more apertures are directed downwardly at between 10 degrees and 65 degrees, preferably at about 45 degrees, with respect to the circular axis of the ring in order to target the skin layers with the cryogenic fluid.
Preferably the apparatus further includes a manifold, one side of which is connected to a supply of the cryogenic fluid and an opposite side connected to one or more members that are also connected to said ring to deliver the cryogenic fluid to the ring.
Preferably the ring is spaced apart from an interior of the body.
Preferably the apparatus further includes handle means to assist a user in applying the apparatus to the animal with sufficient force.
Preferably a further apparatus having a body smaller in diameter to said apparatus and also having a seal means is able to be fitted within said apparatus and below the ring in order to accommodate for a different sized horn.
Preferably said cryogenic fluid is applied for between 1 second and 10 seconds.
The invention in one embodiment describes a method of applying a cryogenic fluid to the base of the horn or horn bud via apparatus that directs the cryogenic fluid onto the targeted area. The freezing and thawing action will produce a cellular lysis and disruption which will directly inhibit further horn or horn bud development and growth.
In a preferred embodiment, the horn is produced by a layer of skin cells or epidermis at the base of the horn or horn bud. This layer of skin surrounds the horn bud base and produces the substance of the outer horn, known as the epiceras. The horns in domestic ruminant animals are permanent and grow continuously throughout their life. The inner horn component is an extension of the caudal frontal sinus and is initially formed of cartilage and then, as the animal matures, forms bone which is the base structure of the horn. The blood supply to the horn epiceras (horn bud state) or bone is from the continuation of the frontal sinus and from the inner sinus layers.
In a preferred embodiment, the cryogenic fluid is applied to the whole circumference area at the base of the horn or horn bud (lower horn periphery and horn skin base) and is applied for a period of time to affect a deep tissue freeze. The depth of freeze is preferred to be minus 50 degrees Celsius and can be from minus 20 to minus 80 degrees C. The amount of time to apply the cryogenic agent or as a preferred embodiment of the invention, liquid nitrogen or liquid air, varies and the average time per horn base is from 1 to 10 seconds, with average application time of 5 seconds per horn or horn bud base.
As an example, the preferred apparatus for inhibiting horn growth has a circular, conical or elongated conical shape, with a tube connecting the liquid nitrogen or liquid air to the apparatus. The edge of the base of the cone-shaped or circular-shaped receptacle with a seal interface is placed over the horn bud, ensuring that the size of the base of the apparatus fully covers the horn or horn bud base. The horn or preferably at a younger age, the horn bud base tissue, is saturated with liquid nitrogen or liquid air to produce a deep cryogenic freeze of approximately minus 50 Degrees Celsius, with resulting cellular lysis, with inhibition of horn or horn bud growth.
The avascular necrosis and cellular lysis results from the thawing process of the cells of the targeted epidermal layer, where vascular, neural and cellular integrity becomes dysfunctional, resulting in a closed wound which heals slowly at the cryogenic liquid application site. A combination of scar and surrounding skin tissue replace the epidermal horn ring. The production of short papillae, which constitute the outside horn structure, subsequently ceases. The cryogenic freeze may also affect the underlying targeted cornual base process which forms the structural horn base. The cornual process in younger livestock is cartilaginous in nature and ossifies to forms bone matrix as the animal matures and as the horn grows. The cryogenic freeze of about minus 50 Degrees C. around the circumference of the cornual base, results in a cryogenic induced necrosis with a disruption of cellular organisation resulting in vascular and neural shutdown. This process results in an effective dislocation or disassociation of the residual horn bud or horn forming the horn base. The remaining horn or horn bud remnants are movable to various degrees, within the connecting skin whilst often losing their skeletal base connection. This phenomenon is sometimes seen in cattle and the moveable horns or residual horns are known as scurrs.
The end results of this process may be differentiated from traditional means. In the process described herein there may be remaining residual horn or horn bud remnants, however they appear stunted as no further horn or bud growth has occurred. Whereas with conventional means, generally these processes remove the majority or total horn bud or horn growth, and where the replacement tissue is from surrounding skin, producing an area being covered by skin and hair. Dehorning conducted by dehorners or cutting instruments usually excise the whole horn or can sometimes remove most of the horn, leaving a section of horn base showing as cut horn, which remains connected to the cornual or horn base of the skull, and is rigid and fixed as such.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the animal is restrained generally in an upright position, such as a traditional head bale and crush. Multi modal analgesics can be administered prior to the process to give pain relief at and immediately post application. However in the present invention once the thawing process has been completed, there will be a loss of nerve innervation to the targeted site and the residual pain is then expected to be very low. Therefore, the process has minimal or no impact on the livestock, due to the de-innervation of the nerves within the targeted areas, the resultant slow healing process where the targeted skin and underlying structures no longer have effective blood supplies and the body then produces a slow tissue rejection process, that is characterised by a closed healing area and with targeted skin contraction and eventually skin slough as a scab.
The process preferably involves liquid nitrogen or liquid air being drawn into the line of the application means under pressure, whereby in a preferred embodiment an expandable and circular apparatus is placed over the one horn bud base, on and below so as to include the junction of the skin and horn bud base.
In an embodiment a solenoid valve or trigger mechanism, such as a gate valve, is activated to release the liquid nitrogen or liquid air into the application means and resultant fluid nitrogen/air which contains both liquid and vapour, but preferably a higher percentage of the liquid component, is released and exposed directly to the targeted skin area at the circular or oval horn base. The cryogenic fluid has direct contact with the epidermal skin that forms the horn or horn base thereby freezing the targeted skin area to preferably minus 50 degrees Celsius, as measured on the surface temperature of the skin of the animal. The cryogenic effect penetrates the deeper layer of the horn bud base and affects a deep freeze of approximately similar temperature.
In another embodiment of the invention, the whole of the horn bud as well as the surrounding skin junction may also be exposed to the liquid cryogen. If this occurs the horn bud will also freeze, resulting in the avascular necrosis with cellular lysis of the epiceras area of the horn or horn bud. If the majority of the horn bud undergoes an avascular necrosis, the horn bud may contract, shrink and may eventually slough after several weeks and be replaced by scar and/or epidermal tissue, with an eventual hair or wool cover.
In contrast, if only the periphery of the harder horn or horn bud is targeted with the present invention process, and this exposes these tissues to the freezing process induced by the application of the cryogenic liquid, the horn bud may not grow further and may remain as a small and slightly moveable horn bud stump and effectively like a residual horn or horn bud.
According to a further embodiment of the invention there is provided apparatus for inhibiting horn bud growth, including applicator means for applying the liquid nitrogen or liquid air onto the epidermal layer at the immature horn or horn bud base, where the applicator means does not allow spillage of the cryogenic fluid on surrounding tissues and structures.
Positive pressure is preferably applied by the operator on the apparatus to the horn bud base, when applying to the targeted area, and an effective seal is formed as a result. Preferably the cryogenic fluid contacts directly the horn bud base and delivers a cryogenic freeze of approximately minus 50 degrees Celsius.
Preferably the horn bud growth is inhibited and a residual horn bud or stump remains in place;
According to yet a further embodiment of the invention, there is provided apparatus for inhibiting horn bud growth, including where the process apparatus is placed over the entire horn bud (as would be the case in very young animals) and the cryogenic fluid is applied and makes contact to the entire area enclosed by the process application means. The horn bud and surrounding epidermis and sometimes covering skin of the horn bud, undergo the process application procedure where a cryogenic fluid is applied for 1 to 10 seconds. The cryogenic fluid makes contact with the horn bud and surrounding horn bud skin perimeter, whereby an avascular necrosis process or cellular lysis takes place, with resultant scar tissue over a 2 to 12 week period, resulting in the effective loss of the horn bud and replacement by skin, hair or wool and some scar tissue, without further horn bud growth due to the loss and necrosis of the horn bud growing epidermal tissues.
This results in avascular necrosis and effective absorption of the affected tissues and structures, and can remain as a closed wound during the healing process to be eventually replaced by skin and or scar tissue with surrounding hair or wool.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, there is provided a method for inhibiting horn growth in ruminants, the method including where:
the application apparatus to the skin is generally conical or circular or resembles the horn or horn bud base size,
a system of lines and pipes supply the cryogenic agent:
the application apparatus is held firmly in place and cryogenic fluid is applied for a predetermined time period;
the application apparatus varies in sizes for different livestock age and horn bud or horn sizes, of which a line is connected to each with an independent trigger or solenoid valve release system.
Preferably, when the process is applied to the base of a horn, the epidermal skin layer and some of the horn base is fully enclosed within the apparatus. A cryogenic fluid is then applied via the application means and is applied from 1 to 10 seconds. The cryogenic fluid makes contact and aims to have thorough dispersion within the application equipment, affecting a cryogenic freeze of about minus 50 Degrees Celsius, but generally with a range from minus 20 to minus 80 degrees Celsius.
The horn base structures freeze temperature is approximately minus 50 degrees Celsius with a range of minus 20 to minus 80 degrees Celsius.
Thus, the resultant cryogenic impact will initially freeze the targeted areas. The subsequent tissue fluid crystal thawing effect will result in cellular lysis and dysfunction of the neural and vascular systems affecting the targeted tissues. The area of cornual epidermal base targeted will depend upon the animal's age and outer dimensional size of the application apparatus. The circumference width of targeted tissue can vary from 2 mm to 10 mm. The average is approximately 5 mm skin width.
The surrounding epidermal cells, which produce the horn substrate, undergo a necrosis process through the freezing and thawing action.
The process may involve the one single application of the cryogenic fluid, being nitrogen or air. Alternatively it may involve two or three subsequent applications of the cryogenic fluid.
For the purpose of this specification, horn bud and horn describes the different age and growth stage where a horn bud is either the early residual or the early growth stage of a horn, which is still relatively new and has not gained much length.
The cryogenic fluid can produce a cryogenic freezing effect on the horn bud base epidermal cells and on the horn or horn bud tissue.
The apparatus supplying the cryogenic fluid is delivered via the system, which can house between 1 to 10 litres at the closest delivery point to the horn or bud base. This will produce an almost immediate flow of the liquid component to the site of application.
The cryogenic fluid is preferably delivered in mostly liquid form.
The delivery of the cryogenic fluid to the disbudding apparatus is preferably controlled by valves, which can be solenoids or other valve systems. The cryogenic fluid is preferably applied for between 1 to 10 seconds, more preferably 3 to 5 seconds.
The end resultant surface temperature of the freeze is approximately minus 50 degrees Celsius, and can range from minus 20 to minus 80 degrees Celsius: This is a desired effect as it will minimise pain in immediate and post recovery stages and the process generally does not involve any open wounds, so there is very minimal risk of infections, blood loss and risks of wild dog attacks.
According to a further embodiment of this invention, there is provided a method of applying the cryogenic fluid in such a manner that results in a cryogenic freeze and eventual necrosis of the tissues targeted. The method preferably includes applying one or both disbudding apparatus to the whole circumference base of the horn bud or horn;
applying the cryogenic fluid to the epidermal horn base and can include the horn structure.
Applying the cryogenic fluid to the horn or horn bud base or section thereof to produce an effective deep freeze and subsequent slow thaw may comprise achieving a temperature of approximately minus 50 (fifty) degrees Celsius on the targeted area. The processed area will feel solid after the freezing agent (cryogenic fluid) has been applied. Optimally, the temperature of the targeted tissues is between minus 20 degrees Celsius and minus 80 degrees Celsius, with an optimal average of minus 50 degrees Celsius.
The cryogenic fluid may be applied topically. The cryogenic fluid may comprise liquid nitrogen or liquid air. A mix of liquid and vapour can be applied however it is preferable the liquid component be the dominant component so as to effect a faster freeze.
The method is mostly bloodless and non-invasive when compared with surgical excision or dehorning cutting instruments which leave an open wound, hot dehorners with heat cauterization and with resultant painful skin burning.
The healing stages of both methods minimise the exposure of the animal to predators (wild dogs) as the wound is generally closed, with minimal infections and minimal evidence of blood. The healing stage involves minimal pain due to the de-innervation of the nerves at the local targeted site. The result may improve the recovery process and therefore have far less impact on the animal. Weight gains and mothering are all important features and favoured results for any procedure with livestock.
The methods may involve the application of the cryogenic fluid at a rate of between 50 and 300 gms of liquid component of the liquid nitrogen or air for between 1 to 10 seconds. Preferably optimum practice is to apply approximately 150 to 250 gms of the cryogenic fluid, for example liquid nitrogen in approximately 3 to 5 seconds. A similar procedure and application rate can be applied to the adjacent horn bud and its skin base. It is possible to apply two separate apparatuses, one to each horn bud simultaneously. The amount of cryogenic fluid will depend upon the age, breed and amount of horn bud or growth. It is preferable to apply the cryogenic fluid quickly and preferably between 1 to 10 seconds, again depending upon the animal type and age differentials.
The cryogenic fluid may be part liquid and part vapour form as it contacts the horn base, but preferably mostly a liquid component. The cryogenic fluid may be applied continuously on to the skin.
The cryogenic fluid is preferably applied to the horn bud or horn base layers via a delivery system via specialised conical or cylindrical shaped delivery apparatus. The storage and delivery of the cryogenic fluid can be via a portable storage vessel set at a relatively low pressure of between 2 psi and 40 psi or preferably 5 to 10 psi and holding from 10 kg to 450 kg. There may be a smaller holding vessel at the point of delivery of the liquid nitrogen/air via the solenoid or valve system. Accidental skin spillage must be prevented and a special holding and restraint system may be used and preference for the animal to have its head in the vertical plane, whether upright or on their backs with head being in the vertical plane.
The animals can be restrained in either an upright, standing and restrained position or on their backs or on their sides.
The cryogenic fluid may be sprayed or applied through spray means, such as single or multiple spray ports and can be contained within the end dispense apparatus means.
These methods described can be used to process animals as part of or replacement of current husbandry procedures and the system processing times may be similar to that that is currently achieved under current systems.
The preferred embodiments of the invention will hereinafter be described, by way of example only, with reference to the drawings in which:
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Generally, with very young animals, the horn bud is very small and may be covered by skin. The apparatuses 15, 23 are designed to go over the skin covering the horn bud or the protruded horn bud and to include the surrounding horn bud base skin so as to ensure the outer horn bud circumference, the horn bud and or skin covering the horn bud is targeted with the exposure of liquid nitrogen or liquid air directly upon these described areas. In this embodiment of the apparatus 15 in
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The seal 308 can be made from silicon, Teflon or rubber however the preferred form is rubber. A vent hole 310 exists in the side of body 306 in order to release the build-up of cryogenic gas, that is, gaseous air or gaseous nitrogen, after the liquid cryogen is vaporized with subsequent heat (cold) transfer. The apparatus 300 connected to the elbow 316 would in turn be connected to a solenoid valve and switch which can be preferably hand held by the user. The outlets 327 can vary in number from one to four and be up to 2 mm in diameter. A preferred value of diameter is 1 to 2.5 mm depending upon the number of outlets.
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The seal 334, apart from extending along the outside surface of the body 332 also can extend inwardly against the inside surface of the body 332 in the lower half thereof. It is preferably made from Teflon, silicon or rubber. A handle (not shown) can be attached to the outside of the body 332 with diametrically opposed connection points and this assists in the user pressing the apparatus 330 firmly down on the target site. The other hand of the user can be used to operate a switch to operate a solenoid valve to allow cryogenic fluid into the dispensing device 336. Separation of the ring 346 is needed from the inside of the body 332 (via the connection points 350) in order to limit the amount of heat added to the system, especially when the ring 346 is made from steel. If the ring is a lower heat conductor, such as teflon tubing, then the separation is not as important.
In order to account for varying sizes of the target site, a smaller site can be targeted by inserting a further small apparatus or vessel 350 which has a body 352 and a seal 356 extending around the bottom portion thereof both on the inside and the outside of the body 352. The top rim 354 is simply inserted inside (from below) to interior space 331 of the body 332 of apparatus 330. The rim 354 will be placed in a position below the ring 346 so that liquid cryogen can be directed into the interior space within the body 352 of the apparatus 350. The seal 356 meshes with the seal 334 in order to provide an adequate seal against the escape of the cryogenic fluid. The holes 348 can be angled at about approximately 45 degrees (or between 10 degrees and 65 degrees), downwardly and inwardly with respect to the circular axis of ring 346, in order to target the horn towards its base and flow on to the surrounding soft skin tissues that are located at the horn base. This specifically targets the multiple layers of cells that form the horn base and can extend to a depth of about 10 mm to cryogenically target the growth plate of the ossification centre and can include a width of skin and tissue from a region of between 5 and 25 mm around the base of the horn. The connection of the apparatus 350 to the apparatus 330 can be done by any suitable connection means such as a quick release bayonet fitting and any particular size of apparatus 350 can be used.
As an alternative to using liquid nitrogen as the cryogenic fluid, liquid air can be used that has a boiling point of −170° C. This is slightly higher than the boiling point of liquid nitrogen. The liquid air as a cryogen is cheaper to produce as there is no requirement to filter out nitrogen from air and also where these devices are used on farms often they are located too far away from outlets that dispense liquid nitrogen.
Thus the liquid air or nitrogen is directed at the horn base and the periphery around there. Liquid can run to the outer periphery of the horn base saturating that surrounding area with the cryogenic liquid. The total saturation provides a thorough deep freeze in the targeted site. The cryogenic liquid pressure is preferably a very low pressure in order to keep the fluid as cold as possible. It is generally at around 2 PSI but can be in the range of 1 PSI to 20 PSI. The working pressure can be in the range of 1 to 10 PSI. The lower the pressure then the cooler the cryogenic liquid will be. In hot climates, 10 PSI to 25 PSI may be used to chill and prime the required lines faster. Thereafter the system can operate at between 1 and 10 PSI.
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The walls 70 of holding vessel 68 are mostly vacuum-sealed. The lid and upper side aspects of the vessel 68, may not be vacuum-insulated. This non-vacuum area allows heat to penetrate the vessel 68 and promote gassing of the liquid nitrogen/air which, in turn, is designed to create pressure which can be regulated by variable relief valve 77 situated on the one small line 75 connected to the interior of the vessel 68. The pressure created then drives the outflow of the cryogenic liquid from withdrawal tube 78 to the cryogenic solenoid valve 69 and to the targeted application site. This adjustable relief valve 77 enables the system to have regulated pressure control. The pressure is designed to have a range from zero psi to 50 psi maximum and can be set accordingly. The preferred system operating pressure is of the range of 2 psi to 35 psi. On the same line there is also a bursting disc 79 and a manually operated ball valve 76. The bursting disc 79 is designed to release gas pressure at a preset high pressure and this is determined by the engineering capacity and pressure characteristics of the apparatus 67. It is a safety design, in case of excessive pressure build up, resulting in the possibility of the vessel 68 exploding. The cryogenic ball valve 76 function is to reduce the gas build up pressure or vent off the gas pressure when the lid needs to be opened for refilling or say when the device solenoid valve 69 is inoperable, as might be the case when the battery 73 has insufficient power to run the valve 69.
The flexible line 83 generally is vacuum insulated so as not to add too much heat into the system. The distance is determined by several factors including the operator requirements, the set up or animal restraint system, the process used on the animal having the process applied and the actual access length to the equipment. The range can be from 0.5 to 4 m.
In another aspect of the apparatus 67, the cryogenic release valve 71 can be positioned and connected to the holding vessel on the bottom or side wall of a smaller holding vessel like vessel 68 and positioned in a vertical manner (not shown). This will ensure greater reliability of withdrawal of the liquid cryogenic fluid with close proximity to the apparatus 300 or 23.
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Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2016902120 | Jun 2016 | AU | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/AU2017/000123 | 6/1/2017 | WO | 00 |