Dehorning and disbudding of cattle is one of the most painful procedures in cattle farming, performed to reduce injury risk but causing substantial avoidable suffering.
Disbudding and dehorning cause acute pain and ongoing inflammatory pain. Hot iron disbudding creates corneal nerve damage; surgical dehorning in older animals causes significant blood loss and wound pain. Without adequate analgesia — which requires veterinary involvement — cattle experience preventable suffering. The practical alternative, polled (naturally hornless) genetics, is becoming increasingly viable and represents the long-term welfare solution for the industry.