The do’s and don’ts of bovine euthanasia

Abstract

The goal of humane euthanasia is to produce a “good death” by inducing a rapid, ideally instantaneous, loss of conscious­ness followed quickly by respiratory and cardiac arrest. Bovine euthanasia often presents significant challenges due to the size and nature of the animal, limited options for euthanasia methods, facility limitations and operator experience among many others. In particular, euthanasia under field conditions may present unique challenges. Developing a plan, or standard operating procedure, can reduce the risk of adverse events and help ensure both the welfare of the animal being euthanized and the personnel performing the task. However, the varied circumstances under which bovine euthanasia may be needed can require adaptability and flexibility. Veterinarians and other individuals performing euthanasia should be familiar with standard euthanasia practices and be comfortable with a variety of euthanasia methods to allow adaptability to ensure the welfare of animals requiring euthanasia under a variety of circumstances. The purpose of this paper is to provide practical tips on the do’s and don’ts of humane bovine euthanasia under a variety of circumstances.