The use of pain control for disbudding and dehorning is important from both an animal- and industry-centered perspective. Best practices include the use of local anesthetic, commonly given as a cornual nerve block (CNB), and a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Approximately 40% of Canadian dairy producers do not use local anesthesia, perhaps in part due to lack of knowledge regarding CNB technique. Although this skill is typically learned in person from a veterinarian, alternative methods may be useful for hard to reach producers. The objective of this trial was to determine if there were differences in the efficacy of online training (n = 23), hands-on training (n = 20), and a combined approach (n = 23) for teaching producers to successfully administer a CNB and disbud a calf. The primary outcome was block efficacy, defined as a lack of established pain behaviors during iron application. Secondary outcomes were background knowledge (assessed by a written quiz), CNB and disbudding technique (evaluated by rubric scoring), time taken, and self-confidence before and after evaluation. Associations between training group and outcome were assessed with univariable logistic regression and Cox-proportional hazard models. Block efficacy was not different between groups, with 91% successful in both combined and online groups, and 75% in the hands-on trained group. Online and combined groups tended to have higher written scores, but online learners also tended to have poorer technical scores compared with hands-on (P < 0.10). Time to block completion was not different between groups, but disbudding completion was fastest for the hands-on group compared with both online (P = 0.03) and the combined group (P = 0.08). The combined group had the highest pre-evaluation confidence score (P < 0.05), and after evaluation remained higher than online (P = 0.04) and tended to be higher than hands-on (P = 0.10). While we saw statistical differences in time taken and self-confidence between groups, absolute differences were small and block efficacy was similar. This suggests online training may be a useful tool for motivated producers who lack access to hands-on training.