Castration and branding of animals

Question: It is a common practice among some people who raise livestock to perform castration on the males in order to fatten them. This is done in several ways, all of which cause pain to the animal. Is this permissible or not? Similarly, there is the practice of branding, which involves marking the animal’s ear by burning it with fire, cutting it, or doing something similar that causes severe pain. Is there any sin on the one who does this or not?

Answer: It is obligatory to treat animals with kindness and not to harm them or cause them pain without a legitimate Shari'ah interest. It is also obligatory to be gentle with them and to treat them well.
As for the issue of castrating an animal for the purpose of fattening it, or branding it for identification purposes, whether by cutting its ear, branding it, or doing something similar, there is nothing wrong with that; because doing so serves a benefit. However, he must use the easiest method for the animal when performing this procedure, and he must not use a painful method of castration or branding that harms the animal without benefit. It is forbidden for him to brand the face; he must avoid the animal’s face and not brand it, neither by burning, cutting, striking, nor by any other means; because striking the face and branding the face are prohibited.
As for branding the ear, there is nothing wrong with that, whether by cutting the tip of it, piercing it, or branding it with fire; there is nothing wrong with that because it serves a benefit. However, he must use the gentlest method in this regard.