Injured animal, how long is too long

[betweenthelines]

Neighbour phoned the vet about a cow that had fallen in the yard and couldn't get up. Vet diagnosed a broken hip so he (farmer) called the local knackerman/fallen stock Co. to do the necessary. It was called in before midday but they didn't come out til the next afternoon.

Is this sort of delay normal or was my neighbour at fault for not getting the vet out to do the deed?

 

[Deereone]

Is there any reason why your neighbour didn't shoot the cow himself?

 

[honeyend]

If on the floor and in pain far too long, standing and pain free and separated from the rest, fairly OK. I would have rather paid the vet to inject it, or get the hunt out to shoot it.
I once knew someone who left a horse in a field with a broken leg, under vet supervision. for several days The owner and the vet both should have been shot, it was quite obviously a catastrophic injury.

 

[Wooly]

Why didn't the vet put the cow down !!

 

[Northeastfarmer]

I’ve shot them myself if the knackerman can’t come straight away....don’t like them laid in pain

 

[Bruce Almighty]

Shooting a down cow between the eyes with a 12 bore from about 12" - 18" is very simple, instant and effective. Obviously try & get other stock well out of the way.

I've done it myself many times over the years, rather than have the down cow suffer waiting for the vet or knacker man. I don't enjoy it but sometimes you have to man up & put animal welfare first

 

[matthew]

We used to have a reasonable local knacker service. Now we have a ‘fallen stock ‘service, and welfare is left to the owner.
We needed a heifer putting down a few months ago, after veterinary intervention. No go from a few miles up the road, so I phoned one of their ex slaughtermen, who was out within the hour,
This chap operates his own service now.

Things ain’t what they used to be.
Ultimately reasonsibility for downer animals is up to the owner.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Shooting a down cow between the eyes with a 12 bore from about 12" - 18" is very simple, instant and effective. Obviously try & get other stock well out of the way.

I've done it myself many times over the years, rather than have the down cow suffer waiting for the vet or knacker man. I don't enjoy it but sometimes you have to man up & put animal welfare first

I use a shotgun, it’s a horrible depressing job but a necessity if you keep stock

 

[Bruce Almighty]

I use a shotgun, it’s a horrible depressing job but a necessity if you keep stock

Indeed !

 

[multi power]

Nobody should be keeping livestock if they don't have the means to put an injured beast down
As horrible as it is to shoot a cow sometimes you just have to do it

 

[neilo]

Shooting a down cow between the eyes with a 12 bore from about 12" - 18" is very simple, instant and effective. Obviously try & get other stock well out of the way.

I've done it myself many times over the years, rather than have the down cow suffer waiting for the vet or knacker man. I don't enjoy it but sometimes you have to man up & put animal welfare first

I totally agree on the ‘manning up’ comment, which was a regular argument back home. I have been known to have a ‘friend’ shoot a cow with a .22, as I don’t have an FAC, rather than leave them suffer any longer.

I always thought a 12 bore wouldn’t be effective for an adult cow, due to the thickness of the skull, so i’ve never used one for that job. Was I worrying unnecessarily? Not an issue now, as I don’t have cows.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

I totally agree on the ‘manning up’ comment, which was a regular argument back home. I have been known to have a ‘friend’ shoot a cow with a .22, as I don’t have an FAC, rather than leave them suffer any longer.

I always thought a 12 bore wouldn’t be effective for an adult cow, due to the thickness of the skull, so i’ve never used one for that job. Was I worrying unnecessarily? Not an issue now, as I don’t have cows.

12 bore is certainly effective

 

[milkloss]

a proper vet should always have access to a .32 dispatch pistol within a practice imo but I have noticed a tendency for ‘modern’ vets to shy away from the responsibility. It is their duty to limit the suffering of an animal much the same as a farmer so taking it on the chin is part of the job.

Unfortunately the job isn’t always fluffy and cuddly but that’s life.

 

[Martyn]

Picking fallen stock up seems to be taking longer and longer, we can wait upto 6/7 days from ringing, I'm lucky wife being vet can act quickly. Otherwise would use 12bore.

 

[David.]

I totally agree on the ‘manning up’ comment, which was a regular argument back home. I have been known to have a ‘friend’ shoot a cow with a .22, as I don’t have an FAC, rather than leave them suffer any longer.

I always thought a 12 bore wouldn’t be effective for an adult cow, due to the thickness of the skull, so i’ve never used one for that job. Was I worrying unnecessarily? Not an issue now, as I don’t have cows.

Put a couple of thicknesses of 20mm ply on the sand heap and try it

 

[Sharpy]

Neighbour phoned the vet about a cow that had fallen in the yard and couldn't get up. Vet diagnosed a broken hip so he (farmer) called the local knackerman/fallen stock Co. to do the necessary. It was called in before midday but they didn't come out til the next afternoon.

Is this sort of delay normal or was my neighbour at fault for not getting the vet out to do the deed?

Simple. Your neighbour put money a long way before animal welfare. He is a pansy. End of story.

 

[Dry Rot]

https://www.hsa.org.uk/humane-killing-of-livestock-using-firearms-equipment/shotgun
(More information on this page)
Shotgun
A long-barrelled, smooth-bore gun, normally used for discharging small shot at modest ranges.

Shotguns are the most common weapons found on farms. Often used for control of wild animals and game shooting, they are a very effective means of killing all species of farm animals in an emergency and, if used properly, are equally effective and much safer than rifles and handguns. They should be used from a short distance (5-25cm from the target).

For all conventionally farmed livestock species, a 12, 16 or 20 bore shotgun may be used with No. 4, 5 or 6 bird-shot; (a 28 bore or .410 can be used if nothing larger is available, but should not be used on mature bulls, or pigs weighing over 100kg). The muzzle should be held from 5-25cm from the animal’s forehead, aiming down the line of the neck into the main bulk of the body. On no account must the muzzle of a shotgun be held directly against the animal’s head, as this could result in a burst barrel and severe injury to the operator. Ordinary sized bird-shot is capable of inflicting massive injuries when it strikes as a compact mass. When used correctly the shot, in effect, strikes the skull as a single, large-calibre missile measuring approximately 2.0cm in diameter (when using a 12 bore). This has considerable initial penetrating power, due to its relatively high velocity and mass. However, once inside the skull, the pellets within the shot-charge will separate and disperse within the brain cavity, killing the animal outright. Contrary to common belief, the use of a shotgun does not blow the animal’s head off; there is a relatively small entry wound, but the brain is completely destroyed (see Figure 2). This is a much safer and usually much more readily available method than using a free bullet.

Figure 2 Effect of 16 bore shotgun blast from a distance of two inches

In the hands of a competent operator, the shotgun is probably the best piece of equipment available for the humane destruction of most large animals.

In exceptional circumstances (e.g. an agitated bovine in an open space which cannot be approached safely), shotguns can be used to kill large animals from a distance. In such cases, shotguns with open-choke barrels are used in conjunction with special cartridges loaded with solid slugs (N.B. in the UK such use is subject to additional certification and may only be carried out by specially trained and licensed personnel, usually police officers).

 

[unlacedgecko]

Not all livestock keepers have access to shotguns/firearms.

Bolt guns require no licence. That and a blade will be sufficient for most cases.

 

[Al R]

Not all livestock keepers have access to shotguns/firearms.

Bolt guns require no licence. That and a blade will be sufficient for most cases.

But they’d surely know someone who has 1 that could come and do it?

 

[Lofty1984]

Just curious in all the red tape and rubbish that farmers have to deal with are you actually alowed to shoot your own stock ?
After all there are some bloody daft rules your supposed to adehere too