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Behavioral pain scales have been helpful for standardized swine pain assessment. However, it is still unknown if observers' experience influences the scale score. We conducted a pilot study to investigate how three different levels of swine experience influenced how observers scored castration pain in piglets using Unesp-Botucatu Pig Composite Acute Pain Scale (UPAPS). We used a database from UPAPS scores from pigs undergoing surgical castration in a previous study. Scores were attributed by six observers with Little to no experience (n = 2), Some experience (n = 2) and Extensive experience (n = 2). Reliability was estimated using the intraclass correlation coefficient, agreement was investigated by Bland-Altman analysis, predictive capacity was estimated using the area under the curve (AUC), and statistical differences were tested using a regression model. We found that intra-experience levels reliability were satisfactory (Little to no: 0.72, Some: 0.81, Extensive: 0.84), but inter-experience reliability was lower (0.42). Little to no experience observers had poor agreement with other observers, with a bias toward underscoring UPAPS (bias of 0.94 vs. Some, 1.17 vs. Extensive). Predictive capacity was similar between all observers (AUC, Little to no: 71.94%, Some: 76.10%, Extensive: 79.09%, p > 0.05). Regression model confirmed underscoring of Little to no experience observers (mean ± standard error; Little to no: 1.09 ± 0.14; Some: 2.02 ± 0.23; Extensive: 2.25 ± 0.22; p < 0.05). We concluded that minimal experience, as Some experience observers have in the swine industry, is sufficient for them to score UPAPS in a similar way than more experienced observers. The present pilot study supports the enhancement and implementation of UPAPS on farm and laboratory settings by minimally qualified observers, improving swine welfare in the short and long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Disbudding of dairy goat kids is a routine, necessary, but painful husbandry procedure. Heat cautery disbudding is the industry standard since it is effective and can be rapidly performed by lay personnel on large numbers of kids. Efforts to improve welfare associated with heat cautery disbudding commonly focus on adjunct anesthesia and analgesia but there are often technical, legal, and safety barriers to routine use of these adjunct therapies in production settings. This project explores four alternative methods to heat cautery disbudding for safety, efficacy, and vocal evidence of duress during the procedure. We found that heat cautery was the most effective, was similar to the sham procedure for vocalization count during the procedure, and did not cause any serious or lasting complications. Clove oil injection, short-term topical application of caustic paste, and two cryosurgical methods were not consistently effective; additionally, the latter two created significantly more vocalization efforts. Clove oil injection was associated with several unexpected and severe complications including unintended tissue necrosis, temporary paresis, skull defects, meningitis, and death. Collectively, we did not find that any of the alternative methods of disbudding provided a feasible option over heat cautery to improve welfare associated with the disbudding process. There is a strong industry demand for technically simple and highly efficacious alternatives to heat cautery disbudding in goat kids that can be performed as a stand-alone procedure without adjunct anesthesia, and that result in improved overall welfare through reduced acute pain, reduced tissues healing interval, and a consistent safety record. The objective of this study was to consider the net effect of disbudding techniques on goat welfare by examining vocalization frequency, long-term efficacy and animal safety associated with four alternative caprine disbudding methods against sham-disbudded and heat-cautery controls. Sixty-five commercial male dairy kids were disbudded at 3–10 days of age with one of six disbudding treatments (clove oil injection, caustic paste, two cryosurgical methods, heat-cautery, and sham procedure). Heat cautery was 91% effective, caustic paste was 55% effective, and the other treatments were ineffective. Heat cautery and sham procedures resulted in similar vocalization efforts; freezing with a liquid-nitrogen cooled iron resulted in significantly greater vocalization numbers. No unintended paste transfer injuries were observed with short-term application of the caustic paste. Heat cautery resulted in numerous superficial infections but no permanent injury. Clove oil injection was associated with several unexpected and severe complications including unintended tissue necrosis, temporary paresis, skull defects, meningitis, and death. Collectively, we did not find that any of the alternative methods of disbudding provided a feasible option over heat cautery to improve welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Pain management is lacking in U.S. commercial sheep production systems. This is, in part, due to the limited amount of scientific data evaluating sheep pain responses after analgesia treatment. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as meloxicam (MEL) and flunixin meglumine (FLU), are the most common drug class provided to livestock species to manage pain. Pain assessment tools, such as facial grimace scales, which use changes in facial expression to monitor pain, are also needed to improve pain management and sheep welfare. In this study, sheep undergoing a laparotomy (a surgical procedure where an incision is made into the abdominal cavity) were treated with either MEL or FLU to manage pain. A third group of ewes did not undergo surgery and served as study controls (CON). Behavior and physiologic outcome measures were collected pre-procedure and up to 48 h post-procedure. The results suggest that MEL and FLU were equally effective at providing post-operative analgesia; however, even with NSAID administration, acute pain and inflammation were still present in surgical sheep compared to non-surgical controls. The facial grimace scale results were not consistent with the other outcome measures taken in this study and it should not be used as a stand-alone pain assessment tool. The amount of scientific data evaluating sheep pain responses after analgesia treatment is limited. The aims of this study were to compare the efficacy of flunixin meglumine (FLU) and meloxicam (MEL) at relieving post-surgical pain in sheep and to evaluate the utility of the Sheep Grimace Scale (SGS). Thirty ewes were assigned to one of three treatment groups: oral MEL or intravenous FLU to manage pain associated with a laparotomy procedure, or a non-surgical control (CON) group. Behavior and physiologic outcome measures were collected pre-procedure and up to 48 h post-procedure. There were no significant differences in behavior, gait, degree of inflammation or pain around the surgical site when MEL and FLU sheep were compared, suggesting that both drugs provided similar levels of analgesia. Significant differences in behavior, gait, abdominal inflammation and pain were found when surgical sheep were compared to non-surgical controls. More work is needed to characterize the amount of pain relief provided by MEL and FLU. The SGS had moderate reliability between scorers; however, the results were inconsistent with the other study outcome measures. The SGS may have some utility as a pain assessment tool but should be used in conjunction with other pain measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]