Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-tj2md Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-25T00:55:32.470Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Evaluation of the CASH Dispatch Kit combined with alternative shot placement landmarks as a single-step euthanasia method for cattle of various ages

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2023

JN Gilliam ,
J Woods ,
J Hill ,
JK Shearer ,
J Reynolds  and
JD Taylor
JN Gilliam*
Affiliation:
Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Oklahoma State University, 1 Farm Rd, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
J Woods
Affiliation:
Innovative Livestock Solutions, Blackie, AB, Canada
J Hill
Affiliation:
Innovative Livestock Solutions, Blackie, AB, Canada
JK Shearer
Affiliation:
Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
J Reynolds
Affiliation:
College of Veterinary Medicine, Western College of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA, USA
JD Taylor
Affiliation:
Veterinary Pathobiology, Oklahoma State University, 1 Farm Rd, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
*
∗ Contact for correspondence and requests for reprints: john.gilliam@okstate.edu
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Humane euthanasia of cattle under field conditions presents special challenges for veterinarians and producers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the CASH Dispatch Kit captive-bolt system combined with improved shot placement landmarks as a single-step euthanasia method for cattle. Cattle destined for euthanasia for reasons unrelated to the study were utilised. Adult (> 2 years), young (6-24 months) and neonatal (< 1 month) cattle each received a single shot from the CASH penetrating captive-bolt pistol. An additional group of neonatal animals was shot with a non-penetrating muzzle attachment. The shot was placed on midline halfway between the top of the poll and an imaginary line connecting the lateral canthus of each eye. Following the shot, the animals were immediately assessed for loss of consciousness based upon: i) immediate collapse (if standing); ii) loss of eye reflexes with a centered, dilated pupil; iii) lack of co-ordinated respiration; iv) lack of vocalisation; and v) lack of a righting reflex. Lack of consciousness and heartbeat were assessed at 1-min intervals until cardiac arrest. All animals were adequately stunned by a single shot. Euthanasia via a single shot was successful in 28/31, 17/19, 8/10, and 9/10 adult, young, neonate (penetrating) and neonate (non-penetrating) animals, respectively. Reasons for failure included return of co-ordinated respiration and prolonged time until cardiac arrest. A single shot from the CASH Dispatch captive-bolt system will humanely euthanase most animals. However, the results of this study indicate that application of a follow-up step to ensure death is still needed in certain instances.

Keywords

animal welfarebrainstemcaptive boltcattleeuthanasiasingle step
Type
Articles
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 27 , Issue 3 , August 2018 , pp. 225 - 233
Copyright
© 2018 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP) 2013 Practical Euthanasia of Cattle. http://www.aabp.org/resour-ces/AABP_Guidelines/Practical_Euthanasia_of_Cattle-September_2013.pdfGoogle Scholar
American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) 2013 AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals. https://www.avma.org/kb/policies/documents/euthanasia.pdfGoogle Scholar
Anil, MH 1991 Studies on the return of physical reflexes in pigs following electrical stunning. Meat Science 30(1): 13–21. https://doi.org/10.1016/0309-1740(91)90030-TCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Aroni, F, Xanthos, T, Varsami, M, Argyri, I, Alexaki, A, Stroumpoulis, K, Lelovas, P, Papalois, A, Faa, G, Fanos, V and Iacovidou, N 2012 An experimental model of neonatal nor-mocapnic hypoxia and resuscitation in Landrace/Large White piglets. Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine 25(9): 1750–1754. https://doi.org/10.3109/14767058.2012.663823Google ScholarPubMed
Atkinson, S, Velarde, A and Algers, B 2013 Assessment of stun quality at commercial slaughter in cattle shot with captive bolt. Animal Welfare 22: 473–481. https://doi.org/10.7120/09627286.22.4.473CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Casey-Trott, TM, Millman, ST, Turner, PV, Nykamp, SG, Lawlis, PC and Widowski, TM 2014 Effectiveness of a nonpene-trating captive bolt for euthanasia of 3 kg to 9 kg pigs. Journal of Animal Science 92(11): 5166–5174. https://doi.org/10.2527/jas.2014-7980CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Casey-Trott, TM, Millman, ST, Turner, PV, Nykamp, SG and Widowski, TM 2013 Effectiveness of a nonpenetrating captive bolt for euthanasia of piglets less than 3 d of age. Journal of Animal Science 91(11): 5477–5484. https://doi.org/10.2527/jas.2013-6320CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Daly, CC and Whittington, PE 1989 Investigation into the prin-cipal determinants of effective captive bolt stunning of sheep. Research in Veterinary Science 46: 406–408CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
de Lahunta, A and Glass, E 2009 Veterinary Neuroanatomy and Clinical Neurology, Third Edition pp 479–481. Saunders: St Louis, MO, USAGoogle Scholar
Derscheid, RJ, Dewell, RD, Dewell, GA, Kleinhenz, KE, Shearer, LC, Gilliam, JN, Reynolds, JP, Sun, Y and Shearer, JK 2016 Validation of a portable pneumatic captive bolt device as a one-step method of euthanasia for use in depopulation of feed-lot cattle. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 248(1): 96–104. https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.248.1.96CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Duhaime, AC, Margulies, SS, Durham, SR, O’Rourke, MM, Golden, JA, Marwaha, S and Raghupathi, R 2000 Maturation-dependent response of the piglet brain to scaled cortical impact. Journal of Neurosurgery 93(3): 455–462. https://doi.org/10.3171/jns.2000.93.3.0455CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Durham, SR and Duhaime, AC 2007 Basic science; maturation-dependent response of the immature brain to experimental subdural hematoma. Journal of Neurotrauma 24(1): 5–14. https://doi.org/10.1089/neu.2006.0054CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Finnie, JW 1997 Traumatic head injury in ruminant livestock. Australian Veterinary Journal 75: 204–208. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-0813.1997.tb10067.xCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Finnie, JW and Blumbergs, PC 2002 Traumatic brain injury. Veterinary Pathology 39: 679–689. https://doi.org/10.1354/vp.39-6-679CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gilliam, JN, Shearer, JK, Bahr, RJ, Crochik, S, Woods, J, Hill, J, Reynolds, J and Taylor, JD 2016 Evaluation of brainstem dis-ruption following penetrating captive bolt shot in isolated cattle heads: Comparison of traditional and alternative shot placement landmarks. Animal Welfare 25: 347–353. http://dx.doi.org/10.7120/09627286.25.3.347CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gilliam, JN, Shearer, JK, Woods, J, Hill, J, Reynolds, J, Taylor, JD, Bahr, RJ, Crochik, S and Snider, TA 2012 Captive-bolt euthanasia of cattle: determination of optimal-shot placement and evaluation of the Cash Special Euthanizer Kit for euthanasia of cat-tle. Animal Welfare 21(S2): 99–102. https://doi.org/10.7120/096272812X13353700593806CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grandin, T 2002 Return-to-sensibility problems after penetrating captive bolt stunning of cattle in commercial beef slaughter plants. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 221: 1258–1261. https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.2002.221.1258CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Grandin, T 2010 Auditing animal welfare at slaughter plants. Meat Science 86(1): 56–65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meat-sci.2010.04.022CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gregory, N and Shaw, F 2000 Penetrating captive bolt stunning and exsanguination of cattle in abattoirs. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 3: 215–230. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327604JAWS0303_3Google Scholar
Gregory, NG and Grandin, T 2007 Animal Welfare and Meat Production pp 191–212. CABI: Wallingford, UK. https://doi.org/10.1079/9781845932152.0191CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lambooy, E 1982 Some aspects of the effectiveness of stunning in sheep by the captive bolt. Meat Science 7: 51–57. https://doi.org/10.1016/0309-1740(82)90098-5CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Shaw, NA 2002 The neurophysiology of concussion. Progress in Neurobiology 67(4): 281–344. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0301-0082(02)00018-7Google ScholarPubMed
Smith, JC, Abdala, AP, Rybak, IA and Paton, JF 2009 Structural and functional architecture of respiratory networks in the mammalian brainstem. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, Series B, Biological Sciences 364(1529): 2577–2587. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2009.0081CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Turner, PV, Kloeze, H, Dam, A, Ward, D, Leung, N, Brown, EE, Whiteman, A, Chiappetta, ME and Hunter, DB 2012 Mass depopulation of laying hens in whole barns with liquid car-bon dioxide: evaluation of welfare impact. Poultry Science 91(7): 1558–1568. https://doi.org/10.3382/ps.2012-02139CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Woods, J 2012 Analysis of the use of the ‘CASH’ Dispatch Kit captive bolt gun as a single stage euthanasia process for pigs. Unpublished Master's Thesis, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USAGoogle Scholar