The science and practice of pain management in farm animals has advanced considerably, but significant gaps remain between evidence-based recommendations and on-farm practice.
Despite growing evidence for the pain experience of farm animals and the effectiveness of available analgesics, pain management on many farms falls far short of what is scientifically indicated. Economic barriers, time constraints, and attitudes toward animal pain all contribute to undertreatment. Painful procedures including castration, dehorning, and difficult calvings are still frequently performed without adequate anaesthesia or post-procedural analgesia. Veterinary prescription requirements for analgesics in some countries create access barriers for farmers who want to treat pain promptly. Cultural norms in farming that associate stoicism with professionalism perpetuate undertreatment of recognised pain.