Accurate recognition of pain in farm animals is fundamental to welfare but challenging due to stoic behaviour masking, requiring validated assessment tools and trained observers to improve outcomes.
Unrecognised and untreated pain in farm animals causes prolonged suffering that is invisible within normal production systems. High stocking densities limit individual observation time. Economic pressures reduce analgesic investment. Stockperson training in pain recognition is inconsistent. Validated species-specific pain scales provide objective, training-compatible tools that improve recognition rates when implemented in farm protocols. Regulatory requirements for analgesic use in common painful procedures represent minimum welfare floors that should be extended to all routine painful interventions.