Pain management protocols for cattle in zero-grazing and intensive systems must address the higher incidence of lameness, injury, and disease associated with confinement-based production.
Cattle in zero-grazing systems face elevated pain burden primarily through lameness, but also through injuries from pen furniture, fighting, and inadequate space. A systematic approach to pain management requires regular locomotion scoring to identify affected animals early, prompt veterinary intervention with effective analgesics, environmental improvements to reduce causes, and data recording to track outcomes. Without active pain management programs, intensive herds can accumulate large numbers of chronically lame cows experiencing ongoing suffering that reduces both welfare and productivity simultaneously.