Use of a lidocaine impregnated band improved behavioral and physiological indicators of pain during tail docking in lambs.

Tail docking improves hygiene, reduces flystrike, and enhances efficiency for routine husbandry practices such as shearing, serving as an important management practice that promotes sheep health. However, the procedure is known to cause acute stress and discomfort, raising animal welfare concerns. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a lidocaine-impregnated band at mitigating pain associated with tail docking newborn lambs.