Dehorning cattle is widespread in beef and dairy farming, but the procedure causes significant acute pain that is frequently performed without adequate analgesia.
Dehorning is practiced to prevent injuries to other cattle and to handlers, making it a genuine management need in mixed-age groups. However, the welfare cost is real and avoidable. Cornual nerve blocks before dehorning eliminate the acute pain response, and NSAIDs provide multi-hour post-procedure pain relief. Despite clear evidence of efficacy and widespread professional recommendations, analgesic use in dehorning remains far from universal due to cost, time, and habit. Breeding polled genetics offers a long-term solution that eliminates the need for the procedure entirely.