Livestock Euthanasia

[RichZ]

My wife and I own a dairy goat farm, and also raise fiber sheep. Up until now, when one of the goats or sheep had to be put down, we'd call the vet to euthanize them. Not that it happens often, but it does happen often enough to get fairly expensive. What do other livestock people do for a humane and cost friendly method for euthanaisia? Our livestock are like pets to us, all of the goats and sheep are named, and most know their names, and are very bonded to us, despite the large numbers of livestock that we have. Is there a method that's quick, painless and inexpensive, or am I just looking for the impossible? I'm a biologist and my wife is an RN, so we can handle almost any medical emergency ourselves, and our vet is very good about working with us. I haven't discussed this topic with her yet, I figured I'd find out what the TBN braintrust had to say first.

Thanks!!!

 

[JESSE1]

If your goats and sheep are like pets I believe you're doing the right thing by calling the vet to euthanize them. If one of my cows had to be put down I would do it but it would be quick and as humane as possible. It would just depend on the circumstances and how quick it had to be done so that the animal would suffer the least.

 

[greenmule]

Well,just get you a gun[goats not real sure about how thick their skulls are],might want a bigger caliber than I shot my cancer ridden rabbit dog with 7-8 years ago,[use a 22mag for dog killin and the like],you might want a high powered rifle for them goats,30-30,308,22-250,223,etc.??

But,you just shoot them inbetween eyes with an upward slope,or though top of skull,downward[idea is to hit brain,and brain on a deer is very small,so goats will be too].

Can't think of a more humane way to do it your self than that,one second he is,next milisecond he isn't.

 

[DennisArrow]

We raise registered Boer breeding stock and I really do understand about your need. This also happens to us from time to time and when one has polio or floppy kid it hurts even worse to watch them suffer. My wife gets this chore cause since Viet Nam I am kinda puny on that side of the scale; but what she uses is xylazine from a vet supply house with a perscription. She gives them a big dose maybe 1.5 CC per 100lb IM, which puts them into a deep coma and then covers their muzzle with her hand and they pass on.

Good luck and God bless your spirit.........Dennis

 

[Tororider]

I agree with Greenmule. My brother in law had to call the vet to put down his Belgian. She showed him where to put the bullet if he had to do it himself. If you can handle it, I would guess it is the quickest cheapest way to get it done. Not fun I am sure, but sometimes necessary. Good luck, whatever you decide to do.

 

[greenmule]

Well,sometimes life [and death],is pretty hard to handle ain't it?

that old saying,mans gotta do what a mans gotta do,applies here.

 

[schmism]

how does your vet do it? lethal injection?

cant you get the same stuff? (or do you have to be licensed in some way?)

Tranquilize them and gas them with CO2. (regular welding gas)

 

[chh]

Most drugs that can do the job effectively require a vet to use. I would not recommend a large caliber rifle or handgun, you do stand a very good chance of shooting thru the skull of the animal and the resulting richocet can have very much unintended consequences. A small caliber gun like a 22 will do the job adequately, IF your aim is very good. A slight miss though will cause you to have to shoot it more than once and can cause quite a bit of "distress" both in the livestock and in yourself. My solution has always been to use a 20 guage or a 410 shotgun with bird shot. At close range(6" to 8" from the head) the impact is as much or more than a large handgun(the shot is still in the wad) and the quick dispersion of energy quickly and humanely euthanizes the animal with no(or very little) chance of unintended consequences.

Euthansation is never a pleasant task, but this method is one of the most commonly recommended for large animals. It is quick, cheap, and effective and the result mimics the effect of a captive bolt stunner used in slaughter plants, but with permanent effect.

 

[nunyabinis]

I recommend two shots.


One .22 caliber Long Rifle bullet right between the eyes for the critter and one big honkin' shot of Jack Daniels for you.


The older I get the harder it is to administer the bullet. Had to put down a 12 year old yellow lab a while back and it was the first time I couldn't pull the trigger. Just couldn't do it. First time I've ever had a vet administer the Big Goodbye.

 

[LMTC]

Our vet (definitely an "old-timer") would let us take the syringe w/ the fatal medication from the office for a cost far less than having him come out. Of course, he knew us personally, had been to our place, knew the kind of stock we had, etc., so he wasn't just blindly giving someone a syringe of lethal medication. He is gone now, we no longer have livestock, but I very, very seriously doubt most vets would do this. One of the often overlooked dangers of using a bullet is the fact that some of the most dangerous viruses are in brain tissue, and if an animal infected with any of these is shot in the head, the virus can scatter for yards. It is my understanding (from the vet and the local DNR guy) that some of these viruses can live for a long time on the ground, infecting other animals.

 

[dmccarty]

In the old PBS show "All Creatures Great and Small" based on the UK books by vet James Herriot they have to put down animals frequently. What always caught my attention in the euthanasia scenes is that it looks like they had a hand held "gun" that fired a .22 short/long. The "gun" looks like a handle of a ski pole except made of wood. There has to a be a metal barrel in the wood handle and some sort of plunger firing pin.

The round went into one end of the "handle" some sort of cover was put in place. Then the "handle" was put barral first between the eyes of the animal, maybe a bit up on the forehead, and the other hand was slapped on top of the "hand" to fire the round. Seems very effecient, quick, and clean. Course it was a TV show but they followed the books.

If I had read Herriot's books in high school instead of college I would be a vet today.

The going to lead my kids to the books as the get old enough. One who over the weekend was keeping worms, a grasshopper and a slug should be a vet. Not sure what the other futurer TBNer should do in life.

Later,
Dan

 

[Tororider]

I think if I remember what my brother in law was told, you draw a line from the eye to the opposite ear and again with the other eye. Where those two lines meet is where the bullet goes.

 

[jimmyj]

Tororider's X of two lines is how we do it when we have to. I could never put down my own dog though unless it was some sort of horrible emergency.

Our sheep and goats are pets too and we have a neighbour who is a kind soul who will kill them for us when necessary. A quick shot is so very humane, no animals suffer in the least. You feel worse than they do.

But, if an animal is suffering, take consolation that it is better to put them down than *****-foot around.

Good luck.

 

[chh]

In the old PBS show "All Creatures Great and Small" based on the UK books by vet James Herriot they have to put down animals frequently. What always caught my attention in the euthanasia scenes is that it looks like they had a hand held "gun" that fired a .22 short/long. The "gun" looks like a handle of a ski pole except made of wood. There has to a be a metal barrel in the wood handle and some sort of plunger firing pin.

Dan

What you are describing is an early captive bolt stunner. It fired 22 blanks if I am not mistaken. A rod ran the length of the pole and a spring pulled it back.
I've used the modern versions in packing plants. They are about as effective as the one used in the movie "No country for old men", though I must admit I've never seen one on an air tank like that.
The shotgun method was recommended to me by a vet as being more humane than a 22. 85 to 90% of the time a 22 is just as effective, but it has a smaller margin for error.

BTW: My wife works for a Vet. Any vet that sends the drugs home with someone other than adminastering them in person is putting their license at risk. Those drugs are listed as narcotics and are not meant for use by non professionals.

 

[Bird]

Most of the farmers I've known seemed to be so accustomed to having to kill sick or injured animal, or to killing animals to eat, that it didn't seem to bother them. Personally, I've killed a lot of chickens and rabbits, and always hated to do it. But when I was a kid and had to help Dad skin and butcher hogs and calves, he always killed them with one shot from his .22 rifle. He obviously knew exactly where to put that bullet each time.

 

[CDsdad]

A .22 rifle is my preferred method. I don't dislike animals, I just don't have that soft spot for them. I'm always called by family to do pets or animals that aren't going to make it anyway. I've even had to get one of our own that was run over and hurt bad. Just do it quick and clean so no suffering, as others have said.

 

[scott_vt]

Good Evenin Rich,
Its got to be tough to put down any animal that your on a name basis with ! Hopefully you can come up with something that is humane and works for you and your wife.

On a lighter note, you could call me , no on second thought I wouldnt want to do it either !

 

[RichZ]

Yeah, Scotty, it's real tough for me. My dogs and cats have the vet for anything they need, but with the livestock, we have to become more cost efficient. But we are still very attached to most of them. I appreciate all of the advice, but I don[t think I could shoot them, unless it was a dire emergency. I was hoping that someone had some kind of concoction that would do the job, painlessly and cheaply.

 

[jinjimbob]

If you use any drugs, don't do what this farmer did, leaving his horse out for the eagles to eat.

4 Enumclaw eagles released back into the wild | KOMO News - Seattle, Washington | Local & Regional

Make sure the animal is many feet down.

 

[QRTRHRS]

I think if I remember what my brother in law was told, you draw a line from the eye to the opposite ear and again with the other eye. Where those two lines meet is where the bullet goes.

That works for horses. Growing up, no one called the vet. These days, I prefer to but if an animal is down with a broken leg or something and in extreme pain then I will do what needs to be done. I also believe in saying a quick prayer.