Livestock

Pain Management Across Livestock Species

Effective pain management is a fundamental welfare requirement for all livestock species, yet implementation remains inconsistent across the sector.

Key Facts

NSAIDs including meloxicam and ketoprofen are licensed for use in cattle, pigs, and sheep
Local anaesthesia is available and effective for painful procedures in all major species
Many routine painful procedures are still carried out without any analgesia in practice
Pain assessment tools have been validated for cattle, sheep, and pigs enabling more objective recognition
Veterinary engagement and product accessibility are key barriers to wider pain management uptake

Welfare Considerations

Livestock that undergo painful procedures including dehorning, castration, and difficult births without pain management experience avoidable suffering. The barrier to better pain management is rarely the unavailability of effective products but rather attitudes, economics, and lack of training. Training stockpeople to recognise pain, making analgesics accessible, and creating financial incentives for pain management would substantially reduce the livestock pain burden.

What You Can Do

Support farm assurance schemes requiring analgesic use in painful livestock procedures
Advocate for mandatory pain relief requirements for all identified painful procedures
Choose products from certified farms with documented pain management protocols
Support veterinary continuing education on livestock pain recognition and management
Engage with policy debates about pain management requirements in animal welfare legislation