Recognising and treating pain in cattle remains a major welfare challenge in the livestock industry, as stoic behaviour, economic pressures and limited veterinary access combine to leave many animals suffering unaddressed pain.
Untreated pain in cattle causes sustained suffering, reduces feed intake, impairs immune function and lowers productivity. Lame cows walk less, spend more time lying down in contaminated areas and have higher rates of culling. Animals with mastitis show behavioural pain indicators including guarding of the affected quarter and reluctance to move. Despite the availability of effective and affordable analgesics, cultural norms, cost concerns and a belief that cattle tolerate pain well continue to limit appropriate pain management. Improving stockperson training and regulatory requirements are both evidence-based routes to reducing the scale of untreated cattle pain.