Cattle are prey animals that mask pain, making recognition of pain indicators a critical skill for farmers and vets to provide timely welfare interventions.
The stoic nature of cattle means pain often goes unrecognised and untreated for extended periods. Training in pain recognition — using facial expression scoring, posture assessment and behavioural observation — significantly improves welfare outcomes on farms. The routine use of NSAIDs for painful procedures and conditions is still not universal despite strong evidence of benefit. Empowering farmers and farm staff to recognise and act on pain signs is one of the highest-leverage welfare interventions.