Standardised pain scoring systems help farmers and vets identify and respond to pain in livestock, improving treatment decisions and welfare outcomes.
Pain is one of the most significant welfare threats facing farm animals, yet it has historically been underrecognised and undertreated in livestock species. Cultural norms that dismissed animal pain, combined with the economic cost of analgesics, led to widespread undertreatment. Validated pain scoring systems — particularly facial expression-based grimace scales — have transformed veterinary and farm assessment by giving practitioners and stockpeople a structured, objective tool. Regular pain scoring enables early identification of conditions like mastitis, footrot, and lameness that cause sustained suffering if left untreated. Embedding pain assessment into routine husbandry, farm health plans, and stockperson training is a critical component of evidence-based welfare management.