Hans Coetzee, a university distinguished professor of animal welfare at Kansas State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, has dedicated his career to decoding and alleviating pain in livestock. His groundbreaking research has paved the way for the first regulatory approval of livestock analgesics, bringing relief to millions of animals.
Coetzee’s contributions to animal welfare have earned him the prestigious 2025 Prize in Food and Agriculture Science from the National Academy of Sciences. This award recognizes mid-career scientists in the U.S. whose research has significantly advanced agriculture or the understanding of species essential to food production. He will be honored at the academy’s annual meeting in Washington, D.C., receiving a medal and a $100,000 award, supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research.
A Lifelong Commitment to Animal Welfare
Coetzee’s passion for improving livestock well-being stems from his upbringing on a dairy farm in rural South Africa, where he participated in the country’s 4H program. Early on, he recognized the need for better pain management in agricultural production.
After working as a mixed animal veterinarian in Northern Ireland, he pursued research to address one of livestock producers’ biggest challenges—pain relief. Historically, while nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin and ibuprofen were commonly used in humans, their application in farm animals was largely limited to reducing fever rather than treating pain. Regulatory approval required validated methods for assessing pain, and Coetzee’s early research focused on establishing reliable markers to demonstrate the effectiveness of pain relief medications.
Deciphering Pain in Livestock
One of the greatest challenges in pain management for cattle is their natural instinct to hide signs of discomfort, a survival mechanism against predators. Additionally, traditional pain indicators—such as behavioral changes or hormone fluctuations—often produce inconsistent results due to observer bias or stress from handling.
At K-State, Coetzee and his team collaborated with Kelly Lechtenberg, a veterinarian specializing in regulatory drug approval. Together, they validated a pressure mat system to measure subtle changes in cattle gait, a reliable pain indicator. Their research contributed to the FDA approval of Banamine Transdermal, the first pain relief drug specifically labeled for use in food animals.
Driving Innovation in Livestock Pain Relief
Building on this success, Coetzee continues to refine pain biomarkers and develop new pain management strategies for livestock. He emphasizes the ethical responsibility of minimizing animal discomfort and highlights the dedication of livestock producers to animal welfare.
While some veterinarians use human-approved medications off-label, Coetzee’s research aims to secure formal regulatory approval for pain relief options tailored to farm animals. His efforts ensure that ranchers and veterinarians have effective tools to improve livestock well-being.
Leadership and Future Impact
Since mid-2024, Coetzee has also served as interim vice president for research at K-State, overseeing the university’s $200 million research enterprise. Despite his administrative role, he remains actively engaged in research, mentoring graduate students and driving innovation in veterinary medicine.
Coetzee underscores the vital role of land-grant institutions like K-State in translating fundamental research into practical applications. By fostering collaboration with livestock producers and industry stakeholders, he exemplifies K-State’s mission of advancing agriculture and animal welfare.
Through his pioneering work, Coetzee has transformed pain management in livestock, bridging the gap between science and practice while shaping the future of animal welfare and veterinary medicine.
