Livestock hide pain as a survival mechanism. Learning to recognise subtle pain indicators in cattle, sheep, and pigs allows farmers to intervene earlier and reduce suffering.
Farm animals evolved to mask weakness, making pain recognition a skill that requires training. The cattle grimace scale, sheep pain facial expression scale, and porcine pain assessment tools have been scientifically validated and are sensitive enough to detect moderate pain. Training farmers and stock people to use these tools, combined with access to veterinary advice, is a direct welfare improvement that requires no additional legislation.