Effective pain management in livestock is widely available but poorly adopted. Closing the gap between what is known about managing animal pain and what is practiced on farms is a high-priority welfare goal.
The gap between knowledge and practice in livestock pain management is one of the most frustrating in animal welfare. The tools exist. The evidence for their effectiveness is clear. The cost is low relative to the welfare benefit. Yet routine analgesic use for common painful procedures remains the exception rather than the rule in many farming systems. Closing this gap requires a combination of regulatory reform (allowing farm-held analgesics), veterinary leadership, farm assurance scheme requirements, and farmer education. Each component is necessary; none is sufficient alone. The welfare gain from closing the treatment gap would be enormous.