Effective pain management in farm animals is limited by gaps in recognition, treatment availability, and economic incentives in production systems.
Pain recognition in farm animals is complicated by their stoic nature and the economic disincentive to provide treatment. Animals that are prey species evolved to conceal pain, making welfare problems invisible until advanced. Validated pain assessment tools exist for cattle, pigs, and sheep, but are not routinely applied on farms. Regulatory requirements for pain relief during surgical procedures remain weak in most producing countries.