Managing calf pain during disbudding and dehorning

Dehorning is common among cattle producers looking to keep their animals and workers safe, and their farms productive.

The process can reduce the risk of injury and bruising among members of the herd, keeping animals healthier and reducing financial losses. In fact, the Canadian Beef Quality Audit has found that bruising alone costs the industry $10 million each year. Plus, dehorned cattle may fetch a better price at sale.

Dehorning also reduces the risk of injury to farm workers and other animals in the environment, and can make cattle less aggressive, so handling is easier.

Why pain management matters
Research shows that calves do experience pain from disbudding and dehorning, so the process should always come with pain mitigation. Veterinary products are available to help producers provide pain management while disbudding or dehorning calves.

Clearly, there’s a big opportunity for the industry to make positive strides to improve calf welfare. It’s up to producers, but also veterinarians who can educate farmers about the importance of pain management.

Following best practices to control pain during these processes is critical to calves’ health, because it helps minimize their distress during and after the procedures. While cattle welfare is obviously top-of-mind for dairy producers, it’s also important to everyday Canadians. Consumers are becoming increasingly interested in how their food, including dairy, is produced, and they’re demanding that animals involved are treated humanely.

Managing pain effectively
The dairy and beef industries have both established best practice guidelines to manage calves’ pain during disbudding and dehorning, but also during other processes, such as castration and branding. Every farm should have a standard operating procedure for these animal health practices, so that the people performing them can complete the tasks properly while minimizing stress to the animals. 

In general, the best practices include:

Pain control: Before dehorning, producers should work with veterinarians to administer pain control. At minimum, this must include an anesthetic and analgesic (pain reliever drug), such as a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Many producers will also use sedatives alongside local anesthetic.

Age: Disbudding should happen as early as possible, while horn development is in the bud stage (usually two to three months of age). Overall, younger calves (under eight weeks) recover quicker and have fewer complications, including serious infection, but it’s important to note that no evidence suggests they experience less pain than older calves.

Timing: Disbudding and dehorning can often happen alongside other common procedures, such as inserting ID ear tags, which also requires restraining calves. The risk of infection and fly strikes climbs during summer and fall, so limit dehorning to early spring, late fall and winter.

Technique: Properly and safely restrain the calf using a halter or squeeze and use clean, well-maintained tools. When using a Barnes calf dehorner tool, control bleeding by pulling the artery with forceps or using a hot iron to cauterize the artery.

Whether you’re a producer or a veterinarian, taking initiative to manage calves’ pain effectively is important not only for the animals involved, but for the well-being of the whole industry. 

Additional source
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/dairy/facts/09-003.htm