Attitudes towards pain relief and wound management, and their on-farm use during cattle dehorning in northern Australia

Context Dehorning remains a common procedure across the northern Australian beef industry due to the widespread use of horned breeds and management constraints in extensive operations. Amputation dehorning has cattle welfare and production implications, including haemorrhage, infection, flystrike, weight loss and mortality. The use of and producer attitudes towards pain relief and wound treatments are not well documented. Aims This study aimed to document cattle dehorning practices in northern Australia and identify producer-defined priorities for effective wound management treatments in extensive beef systems. Methods An online survey targeting Australian beef cattle producers was conducted between February and August 2023. Four online focus groups involving producers and industry stakeholders from northern Australia were conducted to explore attitudes, practices, experiences, and priorities related to pain relief and wound management for dehorning of cattle. Quantitative data were analysed using Fisher’s exact test and qualitative data were analysed thematically. Key results Dehorning was performed by 92.5% of northern Australian survey respondents, most commonly using surgical methods. Pain relief was used by 75% of producers, most commonly Tri Solfen® (65%) and meloxicam (28%). Multimodal analgesia was used by only a minority (15%). Relief from pain (91%) and improved wound healing (74%) were the most common perceived benefits of pain relief, with efficacy (87%) and practicality (81%) of the product being the most important factors determining adoption. Focus group participants emphasised progress towards breeding a polled herd, while highlighting the importance of being proactive towards animal welfare by using pain relief. Haemorrhage and infection are major welfare and production concerns following dehorning, particularly in extensive systems with limited postoperative monitoring. An ideal wound treatment was described as one that is effective, simple to apply, affordable, robust under field conditions, and capable of reducing pain, bleeding and infection. Conclusions and implications Dehorning remains a prevalent procedure in northern Australian beef enterprises. Although uptake of pain relief is increasing, effective strategies for managing complications caused by amputation dehorning wounds are sought after. Producer-defined priorities provide a clear framework for refining dehorning protocols and developing novel wound treatments that align with the realities of extensive beef systems.