Disbudding - removing horn buds from young kids - is routinely performed in dairy and meat goat farming. Pain management standards for this procedure vary considerably between countries and systems.
Disbudding causes acute, significant pain that is entirely preventable through appropriate anaesthesia and analgesia. Performing disbudding without pain management is now recognised as unacceptable welfare practice in countries with progressive veterinary standards. The procedure is often performed by farmers without veterinary involvement, creating a training and oversight gap. Polled genetics offer a long-term solution that eliminates the need for disbudding entirely. In the interim, ensuring sedation and local anaesthetic are used for all disbudding, alongside post-procedure analgesics, represents the welfare-positive approach.