Ontario Dairy Producers’ Perceived Barriers and Motivations to the Use of Pain Control for Disbudding and Dehorning Calves: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Canadian dairy farmers are required to use a local anesthetic and analgesic prior to all disbudding and dehorning procedures. This study was done to investigate the opinions of Ontario dairy farmers on the use of pain control for disbudding and dehorning calves and their perspectives on the current requirements of the quality assurance program. Interviews were conducted with 29 dairy farmers across Ontario. All participants used a cautery iron to disbud or dehorn their calves and some form of pain control (i.e., NSAID and/or local anesthetic). Of the 29 producers that were interviewed, 22 (76%) were in compliance with the proAction requirements for pain control. Many participants felt positive about the use of pain control for these practices. Education from veterinarians was one of the most commonly listed resources to reduce barriers to pain control use by producers. A farmer’s attitude was highly referenced as an influence on producer behaviour. Although participants had positive views of pain control use, full compliance with national quality assurance requirements for disbudding and dehorning was not met by all. Producer education through veterinarians is a potential avenue to encourage the adoption of pain control use for disbudding and dehorning practices.

Percepciones de productores sobre el bienestar de bovinos doble propósito en los llanos Orientales de Colombia

“…Por otro lado, se evidenció una incongruencia entre el nivel de impacto percibido por los productores respecto a la práctica de topizar/descornar sin anestesia local (aspecto considerado a tener un impacto extremo en el BA) y el bajo nivel de importancia como indicador (si se usa o no anestesia/analgesia durante este procedimiento) del bienestar del bovino DP. Existe evidencia de este dualismo en productores de leche en países como Canadá, donde los productores expresan la responsabilidad que tienen por cuidar las crías y la importancia de controlar el dolor en pro del confort animal; no obstante, no presentan un cumplimiento completo de los requerimientos de manejo de dolor exigido en dicho país (Saraceni et al, 2022).…”

Edible bird nest farming business development strategy in the Pulang Pisau Regency, Central Kalimantan Province, Indonesia

“…Qualitative research data sources come from observations in the field in the form of images, text, and audio [22]. Qualitative research explores a phenomenon through interview techniques to obtain data related to research issues [23]. The approach used in this research is a case study.…”