An Investigation into the Perceptions of Veterinarians towards Perioperative Pain Management in Calves

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Despite developments in animal welfare science regarding perioperative pain management in calves (Bos taurus), there are concerns that current knowledge has not been adopted in practice. Given that the perceptions of veterinarians have implications for how the welfare needs of calves are assessed and managed in practice, this study sought to quantify veterinary perceptions towards perioperative pain management in calves, including barriers to its use and whether demographic differences may influence those perceptions. A nationwide survey was electronically distributed to veterinarians registered with the Veterinary Council of New Zealand. Veterinarians largely associated multimodal pain management with the greatest reduction in perioperative pain. Most veterinarians also perceived that postprocedural pain persists beyond 24 h for disbudding and castration and did not support the use of differential treatment based on developmental age. Despite this, certain barriers were identified for their potential to inhibit the use of pain management on-farm. While demographic differences were found to influence veterinary perceptions towards perioperative pain management, the findings revealed considerable support among veterinarians for improving pain mitigation in calves. Given the opportunity, veterinarians in New Zealand would likely support strengthening the minimum provisions afforded to calves in practice and policy. ABSTRACT: While veterinarians are instrumental to the welfare of calves (Bos taurus), limited knowledge exists concerning veterinary perceptions towards perioperative pain management in calves. As a part of a larger, nationwide study investigating the perceptions of veterinarians towards calf welfare, the current work sought to quantify veterinary perceptions towards perioperative pain management, including barriers to its use, and investigate demographic influences affecting those perceptions. An electronic mixed-methods survey was completed by 104 veterinarians registered with the Veterinary Council of New Zealand. The current work revealed that most veterinarians considered a multimodal approach as the most effective method for ameliorating perioperative pain in calves, rejected the practice of differential treatment based on developmental age, and perceived that postprocedural pain persists beyond 24 h for the majority of procedures included in the survey. Despite this, veterinarians identified certain barriers that may inhibit the provision of pain mitigation on-farm, including costs, inadequate recognition of pain, and ingrained farming practices. Certain demographic effects were found to influence perceptions towards perioperative pain management, including gender, the number of years since graduation, and species emphasis. Nevertheless, the current work demonstrated considerable support among veterinarians to improve pain management protocols during routine husbandry procedures. The asymmetries that exist between the current minimum provisions of perioperative pain management and veterinary perspectives suggest that substantive improvements are necessary in order to reconcile New Zealand’s existing regulatory regime with developments in scientific knowledge.