Tail docking of dairy cattle - removing part or all of the tail - has been banned in several countries but persists in others. The evidence base against this practice is now comprehensive.
The evidence against cattle tail docking is compelling and the practice represents a clear example of a painful, unnecessary procedure that became normalised through agricultural custom rather than welfare evidence. Tails serve important functions: fly swatting (removal impairs fly control, paradoxically worsening welfare), social communication and physical balance. The hygiene justification has been repeatedly tested and found wanting. That the practice persists in some US states and other countries despite veterinary consensus against it reflects the difficulty of changing ingrained farm practices through evidence alone, and the need for regulatory prohibition.