Livestock

Cattle Castration and Dehorning: Farm Procedures Without Pain Relief

Castration and dehorning of cattle are routine practices performed without adequate pain relief on millions of animals annually.

Key Facts

An estimated 14 million calves are castrated annually in the US
Surgical castration without anesthesia is standard practice in most US beef operations
Dehorning involves burning or cutting horn buds in calves without adequate pain relief
Both procedures cause measurable pain lasting days to weeks
The AVMA recommends analgesia for both but industry compliance is low

Welfare Considerations

Castration and dehorning without analgesia cause acute and prolonged pain that is well-documented in veterinary literature. Calves show elevated cortisol, behavioral pain indicators, and reduced weight gain for days after procedures. The AVMA's recommendation for pain relief has not been translated into industry standards or legal requirements in most countries. These are preventable welfare harms for which low-cost solutions exist.

What You Can Do

Support mandatory analgesia requirements for cattle castration and dehorning
Choose beef from farms certified to no-pain-procedure standards
Advocate for your veterinary association to require pain relief recommendations
Donate to organizations tracking farm procedure welfare standards
Engage with cattle producer organizations about adopting analgesia protocols