Improving pain recognition and assessment in cattle is fundamental to better welfare management, as cattle stoically conceal pain signs that require trained observation to detect reliably.
The stoic nature of cattle means that welfare professionals have historically underestimated pain prevalence and severity in cattle populations. Facial expression analysis using the Grimace Scale and behavioral assessment tools now allow more objective pain quantification in cattle. Stockpeople trained in pain recognition using validated tools identify painful conditions earlier and are more likely to provide appropriate analgesia. Embedding pain assessment training in farm welfare programs represents one of the most broadly applicable welfare improvements available for cattle production systems.