Pain Management in Farm Animals: Focus on Cattle, Sheep and Pigs

Abstract

Pain causes behavioral, autonomic, and neuroendocrine changes and is a common cause of animal welfare compromise in farm animals. Current societal and ethical concerns demand better agricultural practices and improved welfare for food animals. These guidelines focus on cattle, sheep, and pigs, and present the implications of pain in terms of animal welfare and ethical perspectives, and its challenges and misconceptions. We provide an overview of pain management including assessment and treatment applied to the most common husbandry procedures, and recommendations to improve animal welfare in these species. A cost-benefit analysis of pain mitigation is discussed for food animals as well as the use of pain scoring systems for pain assessment in these species. Several recommendations are provided related to husbandry practices that could mitigate pain and improve farm animal welfare. This includes pain assessment as one of the indicators of animal welfare, the use of artificial intelligence for automated methods and research, and the need for better/appropriate legislation, regulations, and recommendations for pain relief during routine and husbandry procedures.

Nerve stimulation‐guided femoral and sciatic blocks in an alpaca (Vicugna pacos) for the removal of a sequestrum from the distal femur

“…This alpaca received off‐label medications and a year‐long withdrawal was arbitrarily established based on guidance on prescription of unauthorised medication under cascade 18 . Efforts are being made in the veterinary community to improve pain management in food producing species which is restricted by the current legislation 19 …”

“…18 Efforts are being made in the veterinary community to improve pain management in food producing species which is restricted by the current legislation. 19…”

2022 ISFM Consensus Guidelines on the Management of Acute Pain in Cats

“…The lack of analgesic administration to a painful cat may lead to the development of peripheral and central sensitisation, 16,43 which in turn can reduce the nociceptive threshold to non-noxious and noxious stimuli (Table 4). 44 In humans, inadequate treatment of pain following surgical procedures including, but not limited to, amputation, thoracotomy, mastectomy 45 and caesarean section 46 can result in a transition to chronic or maladaptive pain states (ie, persistent postoperative pain), leading to disability and a negative impact on quality of life. A similar scenario may occur in cats; 43 for example, after onychectomy (Figure 8).…”

Applied Animal Ethics in Industrial Food Animal Production: Exploring the Role of the Veterinarian

“…Boredom, frustration, exercise restriction, and barren environments may be experienced by animals living in these systems for much of their lives, contributing to poor welfare [11]. In addition, confined space may lead to aggression and other problems that necessitate the surgical alteration of animals, for example, the tail docking of piglets and the castration of most male hoofstock, often without the provision of analgesia or anesthesia [12][13][14][15]. Other public health issues may be associated with IFAP, such as increased disease when animals are kept in crowded conditions, with a resultant need for routine antimicrobial use, and the potential for antimicrobial resistance to develop.…”