Dehorning and disbudding of cattle causes significant acute pain and is one of the most common painful procedures in livestock farming, yet alternatives exist that can reduce or eliminate the need.
Dehorning involves burning or gouging out horn buds in calves or sawing through developed horns in adults. Both procedures cause acute and post-procedural pain that persists for days. The welfare case for breeding polled cattle — which are genetically hornless — is compelling: it addresses the problem at source rather than managing the consequences. Polled genetics are available in all major commercial cattle breeds and do not compromise other production traits. Regulatory requirements for pain relief during dehorning represent minimum standards; the adoption of polled genetics represents a more comprehensive welfare solution.