Effective pain recognition and management in cattle is essential for welfare but remains inconsistently practised across the farming industry.
Because cattle hide signs of pain, farmers and vets require training in subtle behavioural and physiological indicators. The bovine grimace scale, ear position, and gait scoring tools have improved pain detection considerably but are not universally applied. Analgesic use in cattle has increased but remains far below what the welfare evidence supports. Systemic pain management for common procedures including castration, dehorning, and dystocia is recommended by veterinary bodies but often omitted for cost reasons. Stockmanship training that improves pain recognition has clear welfare returns.