Humane Destruction of Non-viable Calves less than 24 Hours Old

Note Number: AG1065
Published: October 2002
Updated: July 2008

 

Every farm should have an effective procedure to deal with unwanted calves as quickly and humanely as possible. Victorian legislation (the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act) requires that neither unnecessary suffering nor pain is caused or allowed.

Introduction

Killing non-viable calves is a distressing and unpleasant task. The slaughter method chosen should be effective and cause a sudden and painless death for the calf with the least possible stress to the operator.

Calves that are not suitable for rearing or for consigning as bobby calves should be killed immediately after birth. Prompt killing is particularly important if the calf is debilitated and unlikely to survive.

Sick or injured calves must be given appropriate treatment or be immediately humanely killed. If treatment of a sick or injured calf is not successful, the calf should be killed immediately after the decision to withdraw treatment is made.

Suitable Methods

There are several suitable methods of destroying calves less than 24 hours old. Keeping in mind the aim of achieving a sudden and painless death for the calf with minimum stress to the operator, methods in order of preference are: chemical euthanasia; use of an appropriate firearm or stunning by a captive bolt or a blow to the head which may need to be followed by other procedures.

1. Chemical methods

This is the preferred method of destruction and must be carried out under veterinary supervision. Only veterinarians have access to the necessary drugs. Carcasses contain chemicals and should not be fed to dogs or other animals.

2. Firearms (penetrating captive bolt or rifle)

Firearms suitable for the on-farm stunning and killing of calves are: Penetrating captive bolt equipment (for stunning) or Rifles (.22 calibre) (for killing)

Penetrating captive bolt pistols are effective and safe. However they are humane stunners, not humane killers. For on-farm killing of calves, it is recommended that the heaviest charge available for the captive bolt be used and the calf should then be bled out (see sticking below).

Captive bolt equipment must be cleaned after use in order to prevent corrosion and pitting of the bolt.

Captive bolt equipment is not subject to firearms legislation. Captive bolts can be used and owned without a firearms licence. Contact Animal Health staff of the Department of Primary Industries for information on supply of captive bolt equipment.

Sticking - Following stunning, the calf can be bled by cutting the main blood vessels connected to the top of the heart (chest stick) or the major blood vessels in the neck (neck stick).

Chest stick is performed by running a knife down one jugular furrow alongside the wind pipe on the underside of the neck to open the skin. The knife is then inserted through that opening into the chest between the first pair of ribs, to cut the main blood vessels connected to the top of the heart.

The chest stick is the most effective bleeding out method for calves because the vertebral arteries can continue to supply blood to the brain following the severing of the main arteries in the neck by a neck stick.

The neck stick is performed by making a deep cut in the throat from ear to ear cutting the arteries in the neck. Appropriate sticking knives should be used for these procedures and the knives should be sharp.

Rifles - A .22 calibre rifle can be used, preferably with a hollow-point bullet. The operator should be very mindful of the possibility of exit of the bullet from the head. An appropriate firearms licence issued under the Firearms Act is required; contact your local police.

Correct shooting position is important. For safety, calves should be situated on soft ground preferably with hay bales behind them if a rifle is to be used.

The target area is the same when using either of the above weapons to kill or stun the calf.

Step 1.

The target area is in the middle of the forehead, at the crossing point of two imaginary lines drawn from the middle of each eye to the opposite horn bud.

Step 2.

The aim should be initially at right angles to the skull and then tilted slightly to direct the shot through the lower brain and into the higher reaches of the neck.

 

External trauma which may need to be followed by other procedures

Use of external trauma caused by a heavy blow to the crown of the head is only suitable for immature or induced calves on the day of birth. The blow can be delivered to the same site as for shooting by a short-handled 1.2 kilogram hammer with a striking face of approximately 4 x 4cm.

Following stunning by a blow to the head calves must be closely monitored and procedures for dealing with calves showing signs of life, as described below, must be followed.

Checking for signs of life

After any of the above killing methods are applied, the calf should be assessed for any sign of life including:

• swallowing, tongue movement or chewing in response to placing a finger in the mouth,
• tension in the jaw muscles in response to manually opening the mouth,
• presence of normal rhythmic breathing,
• presence of tension in neck muscles such that the calf can hold its head up,
• blinking in response to placing a finger on the eyeball.

If all of these signs are absent, the calf should be monitored until the heart stops beating (the heart beat can be felt by placing a flat hand on the chest wall close to the elbow of the calf) and again five minutes after the heart has stopped beating.

Note that gagging and leg kicking may occur immediately following death.

Dealing with calves showing signs of life

If after application of a killing method, a calf resumes breathing or blinks when a finger is placed on the eye or shows any of the other signs listed, there is a danger that the calf could regain consciousness. Before the calf regains consciousness do one of the following:

• if the calf is giving occasional gasps, it can be killed by compressing the chest wall with a fist while the calf is lying on its side, (this must only be done in calves that are unconscious (that is do not respond to any sensory stimuli)
• if a .22 calibre rifle is available, the calf can be shot, as described above
• the calf can be shot with a captive bolt and bled out using a neck stick or a chest stick as described above
• the calf can be bled out using a neck stick or a chest stick as described above (this must only be done in calves that are unconscious)

Further References

"Humane Dispatch & Disposal of Infant Calves" - Humane Slaughter Association

"Observations on the Humane Aspects of Killing Induced Calves by Concussion" - Neville Gregory

“2000 Report of the AVMA Panel on Euthanasia” JAVMA, Vol 218, No 5, March 1, 2001.

Acknowledgements

This Agnote was developed by Sue Hides, October 2002.

It was reviewed by Sue Hides, Farm Services Victoria. July 2008