Survey investigating cattle veterinarian and producer perceptions of pain experienced by beef and dairy cattle undergoing castration and dehorning

Abstract

Despite the recognition that many livestock management practices cause pain in cattle, the routine use of pain management at the time of these procedures in dairy and beef cattle remains limited. The decision to use pain management requires identification and evaluation of the significance of the pain experienced by cattle during procedures, such as castration and dehorning. The objective of this study was to evaluate how cattle veterinarians and producers qualify the pain experienced by beef and dairy cattle and how this qualification relates to their use of pain mitigation.