Farm Animals

Cattle Calf Pain Management Procedures

Painful husbandry procedures in calves including dehorning and castration require appropriate pain management. Evidence supports multimodal analgesia for all procedures.

Key Facts

Dehorning without analgesia is one of the most painful procedures in cattle
NSAIDs significantly reduce pain and accelerate recovery from dehorning
Local anaesthetic combined with NSAID provides the most effective analgesia
Polled genetics that eliminate the need for dehorning are increasingly available
Castration of beef calves also requires pain management under current welfare standards

Welfare Considerations

Calves undergoing dehorning without analgesia experience acute severe pain followed by prolonged sub-acute pain lasting days. The welfare case for multimodal analgesia is overwhelming and is now supported by most welfare codes. Polled genetics that eliminate dehorning are the most welfare-positive long-term solution.

What You Can Do

Insist on local anaesthetic and NSAID for all calf dehorning procedures
Discuss polled genetics options with your veterinary advisor
Advocate for mandatory pain relief requirements for all painful procedures in calves