Farmed Animals

Livestock Pain from Routine Procedures and Mandatory Analgesia

Routine livestock procedures including castration, dehorning, ear tagging, and branding cause acute pain but are frequently performed without anesthesia or analgesia.

Key Facts

Surgical castration of male piglets, lambs, and calves is routine in most livestock systems
Castration without anesthesia is still legal and common in many major livestock-producing countries
Research demonstrates pain from these procedures through behavioral and physiological indicators
Injectable local anesthetic and NSAIDs reduce acute and post-operative pain at minimal cost
Some countries including New Zealand require analgesia for castration of animals above certain ages

Welfare Considerations

The routine performance of painful procedures without analgesia represents one of the most clearly preventable welfare harms in animal agriculture. Pain relief is inexpensive, available, and does not compromise procedural outcomes. The primary barriers are training gaps, cost aversion, and absence of regulatory requirements. Mandatory analgesia requirements for defined procedures would significantly reduce suffering for hundreds of millions of animals annually.

What You Can Do

Support legislation requiring mandatory pain relief for livestock castration, dehorning, and branding
Choose animal products from producers committed to pain management for all procedures
Advocate for veterinary prescribing requirements that include analgesia for farm animal procedures
Support training programs teaching farm workers to administer pain relief appropriately
Donate to organizations campaigning for mandatory analgesia in farm animal production