Lamb castration is widely practiced but causes significant acute pain. Evidence-based pain management and method selection can substantially reduce suffering.
The welfare cost of castration without analgesia is substantial. Lambs show unambiguous pain behaviour: abnormal postures, reduced movement, reduced feeding and vocalisation. The Five Domains framework recognises this as preventable negative affective state. Industry guidance in the UK recommends NSAIDs for all castrations but uptake remains inconsistent. Mandatory pain relief for all farm animal procedures is the appropriate welfare standard, and farmers can implement this affordably using licensed products.