Dehorning of cattle is performed routinely in many farming systems, causing significant pain; alternatives including breeding for polledness and effective pain relief are increasingly accessible.
Cattle dehorning without adequate pain management is a significant and largely unnecessary source of suffering in commercial cattle production. The existence of polled genetics in most major breeds means that transitioning to hornless populations would eliminate the need for dehorning entirely over time. In the interim, mandatory use of local anaesthesia and systemic analgesia for all dehorning and disbudding procedures substantially reduces suffering at minimal cost. The evidence that pain management improves both welfare and productivity outcomes undermines the argument that it is economically prohibitive. The direction of travel in high-welfare farming systems is clearly toward polled genetics combined with mandatory pain relief where dehorning remains necessary.