Welfare Science

Welfare Science: Pain Assessment Tools for Farm Animals

Validated pain assessment tools enable stockpeople and veterinarians to detect and respond to pain in farm animals, improving welfare outcomes.

Key Facts

Pain in cattle can be assessed using the Bovine Pain Scale
Sheep grimace scale detects acute pain through facial expression changes
Horse grimace scale has been validated for acute and post-operative pain
Pain assessment tools require training to use reliably in farm settings
Regular pain assessment during and after procedures improves treatment decisions

Welfare Considerations

Undetected pain is untreated pain. Animals stoic by nature may conceal pain behaviourally while grimace scales reveal facial signs invisible to untrained observers. Embedding pain assessment tools in routine stockperson training and veterinary visits creates systems that reliably identify and respond to animal pain.

What You Can Do

Advocate for pain assessment training to be required in stockperson certification
Support organisations developing and validating pain scales for more species
Donate to research into pain assessment tools for fish and invertebrates
Use grimace scale resources when assessing pain in companion animals at home