Although human pain involves unique features when compared with animal pain, as assessed by humans, it is obvious that the underlying neurobiological mechanisms fall along the lines of an evolutionary continuity. This article reviews the generic knowledge on pain that has been established by work done in humans and laboratory species. The degree to which this knowledge on pain can be transposed from man to farm animals (including mammals, gallinaceous and waterfowl (duck and geese species), fish and cephalopods) is examined based on arguments ranging from phylogenetic analysis to the work on emotion in animals and to current debates on the concept of conscience in relation to pain perception. The precautions that need to be taken and the questions raised by such transpositions are discussed