Dehorning is performed on millions of cattle annually to reduce injury risk, but the procedure causes significant pain that is frequently not managed with adequate analgesia.
Dehorning without analgesia is one of the most widespread but preventable sources of pain on farms. The procedure involves burning or cutting through sensitive tissue with extensive nerve supply — the physiological and behavioural pain response is unambiguous. The barrier to change is not scientific uncertainty but economic calculation and habit. Multimodal analgesia (local anaesthetic plus NSAID) is effective, affordable, and increasingly mandated in progressive jurisdictions. The genetic alternative — selecting for polled cattle — could eliminate the need for the procedure entirely over time.