Research shows that calves experience pain from disbudding and dehorning, so including pain management is critical to their health. It’s up to producers, but veterinarians need to educate them about the importance of pain management.
Source: The Bullvine, March 15, 2021. Link. 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.
The dairy and beef industries have established best practice guidelines to manage calves’ pain during disbudding and dehorning, as well as, during other processes, such as castration and branding.”
Also see: Search Results for: dehorning, Animal Health Digest. Link. Find several good references to pain management during dehorning and castration including guidelines.