Chronic pain in farm animals is pervasive but underrecognized, with conditions like lameness causing sustained suffering that frequently goes untreated.
Chronic pain in livestock is arguably the most significant and pervasive welfare problem in commercial farming, yet receives far less attention than acute welfare harms that are more visible. Lame cattle, sheep with footrot, pigs with joint infections, and hens with bone fractures all experience sustained daily suffering. Making chronic pain visible through monitoring, assessment, and treatment creates welfare improvement that is both ethically significant and economically beneficial.