Pain management in cattle is an area of significant welfare improvement in recent decades, but gaps remain in both the evidence base and practical implementation on commercial farms.
Cattle pain management has improved substantially but remains inconsistent. The most significant remaining gaps are in chronic pain management - lameness, mastitis, and other conditions that cause prolonged suffering - where analgesic use is less systematic than for acute procedural pain. Better pain recognition tools, clearer veterinary guidance, and economic incentives that reward pain management investment are needed to close these gaps. Consumer-facing standards that require documented pain management protocols - rather than just stating that procedures are performed - create the accountability needed for consistent implementation.