Dehorning and disbudding of cattle are among the most common and welfare-significant husbandry procedures in dairy and beef production. Evidence-based pain management and polled genetics offer pathways to improvement.
Cattle dehorning and disbudding are unnecessary welfare compromises in an era when polled genetics are available in most commercial breeds. The procedure causes documented acute and chronic pain: cortisol measurements, behavioural changes, and reduced growth rates confirm that disbudded calves experience significant suffering. Best practice — local anaesthetic block, sedation, and NSAID administration — substantially reduces but does not eliminate this suffering. The long-term welfare-positive solution is genetic: selecting for polled animals eliminates the need for the procedure entirely. Several countries and certification schemes now require pain relief for disbudding; some are moving toward genetic polled requirements. Consumer pressure for certified high-welfare dairy and beef can accelerate this transition by creating market signals for producers investing in polled genetics.