Practices for the disbudding and dehorning of dairy calves by veterinarians and dairy producers in Ontario, Canada

Disbudding and dehorning (DD) dairy calves are common management procedures performed on-farm. Appropriate DD practices are important for the welfare of the calf, as well as public perception of the dairy industry. The objective of this study was to build on a 2004 survey of bovine veterinarians and dairy producers in Ontario to determine if DD protocols had changed over the past decade, and to examine factors associated with the adoption of pain-control practices.