Dehorning is performed on millions of cattle annually to reduce injury risk in feedlots, but causes significant acute and chronic pain when done without adequate analgesia.
Pain from dehorning is well-documented — cattle show elevated cortisol, reduced feeding, and behavioral indicators of distress lasting 24-72 hours. Yet surveys show a majority of US cattle producers still do not routinely use analgesics. This represents a large-scale, preventable welfare failure with available low-cost solutions.