Reducing livestock pain vital in industry

06 Jun 22, Western Producer, By Jeff Grognet, DVM, BSc (Agr) ... When I studied veterinary medicine I was taught that animals don’t feel pain, or if they did, it was not the same as in people. Painkillers were seldom used in animals.

That belief from 23 years ago has been proven wrong, at least in companion animal practice. Small animal veterinarians are compelled to offer pain relief to their dog and cat patients. Researchers are beginning to think the same applies to livestock and this could change the way producers work their animals.

The procedures in the limelight are ones done by veterinarians and herd managers alike: castration, dehorning, tail-docking and branding. There are no detailed requirements on how these management practices must be done. They are specifically excluded from Canadian animal welfare legislation to protect producers who carry out these procedures.

Many in the industry are now asking questions: are these procedures necessary and are there less painful ways of doing them?

Some countries have already dealt with these questions. In Norway, pig castration can be done only by a veterinarian using appropriate painkillers and it will be banned by 2009. Germany has updated its animal legislation to require that animals undergoing painful operations must have anesthesia.

The biggest stumbling block in designing protocols that benefit animals is determining what is painful. We expect animals to express pain like we do, but most of the time they don’t. Signs of pain vary between species and if producers aren’t observant, behavioural indicators can be overlooked. We also don’t know if animals are reacting to pain or just their restraint.

One way to look at pain is to compare animals to humans. A woman that has undergone a caesarean is given pain relievers. If a cow has the same operation, does it suffer from the same level of pain? Some researchers believe it does and also think it will recover faster if painkillers are administered.

One way to measure pain objectively is to monitor cortisol levels, which rise if the body is stressed. Providing local anesthesia to calves before castration virtually eliminates the rise in cortisol levels. However, once the local anesthetic wears off, the pain returns and cortisol levels go up. The solution is to give an injection of analgesic to reduce the pain following castration.

Two decades ago, veterinarians were taught to use gougers for dehorning without the benefit of pain control. Many still do it this way. Dehorning is easier on the animal if local anesthetic is injected around the horn bud. This numbs the nerves and eliminates pain. A gouge tool is then used to remove the horn.

Caustic dehorning pastes are under attack because they may cause pain, but they may also inadvertently rubbed onto skin, creating a chemical burn.

Piglets are usually castrated, tail docked, vaccinated, and have their teeth clipped within 24 hours of being born. These procedures are recognized as painful, but giving painkillers to a litter of pigs is difficult. Researchers are looking at an alternative: giving the sow an injection of painkillers that is transferred to the piglets in their first milk.

The procedures adopted by elk ranchers demonstrates one way to implement a pain control program. Veterinarians train producers to use painkillers in the correct way for harvesting velvet. With such a program, producers can’t be attacked for causing animal suffering.

Another way to address welfare concerns is to look at alternatives. For example, using polled genetics can avoid the need for dehorning. Using vaccines to replace surgical castration, a process called immunocastration, is also a future possibility.

How producers carry out surgical procedures is sure to become an area of contention. Do producers want to be proactive in creating programs that safeguard animal welfare or will they sit back and let others decide how they are to work their herds?

Jeff Grognet is a veterinarian and writer practicing in Qualicum Beach, BC.