Humane dispatch for livestock

[@theroedeerguy]

Does that cover domestic livestock?

The scenario I described was only relevant in Scotland and in relation to the powers afforded under section 25 of the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996.

In Scotland, the Food Standards Agency has some good guidance on home slaughter requirements

Home Slaughter | Food Standards Scotland

FSS is the public sector food body for Scotland. We ensure that information on safety, standards and nutrition is independent, consistent and evidence-based.

www.foodstandards.gov.scot

 

[VSS]

What exactly is the difference?

You prove my point: Even an experienced firearms user may need to seek clarity!

 

[Dan Newcombe]

I’m assuming that I’ve missed something that has also not been mentioned in any of the threads on this subject because as far as I’ve experienced you pick a gun, point it at an important bit and pull the trigger - exactly the same as you would shooting rabbits, foxes, deer or anything else.

 

[Rake Aboot]

Almost.
The reason stalkers use dogs is because even a humane best shot can lead to an animal wandering off.

Faced with a bull or a horse , you want that animal to absolutely drop on the spot. A shot that is not always presented with deer , foxes etc.

 

[Dan Newcombe]

I still think that I would rather have someone who hasn’t had to ask on SD how to shoot something and what to shoot it with.

The head qualifies as an ‘important bit’ does it not?

 

[Greenmist]

The head qualifies as an ‘important bit’ does it not?

It does, but having been called by a pig farmer to finish off two animals that a vet had botched with a captive bolt gun, some bits are more important than others

 

[jb7x57]

Difference when shooting quarry you shoot them at a distance ect
Dispatch may be in a brick or steel building or close up in a field on on a road ricochet is a very big factor
I know of people putting down horses and cattle on the shot they have lunged forward and landed on them even though the shot was a killer so think carefully about close quarter shots especially with a deer calibre

 

[VSS]

What exactly is the difference?

You prove my point: Even an experienced firearms user may need to seek clarity!

Apologies for my facetious comment above.
Differences include the fact that the animal my be restrained, wounded or penned up, so very different stress levels.
Different shot placement.
Different ricochet risk.
Different considerations over choice of firearm to use, and ammunition.

Etc etc etc.

 

[Leupsak]

In my area HD is a condition on your FAC, there are stalkers who have had their FAC revoked or received warnings for carrying out the action without the condition, my advice is to check your area and attend some training.

At the end of the day you don't need the condition on your FAC if you don't have the knowledge, skill and experience, its all about need.

 

[Free range rob]

I get that, but if that person needs to come on here to find out how to kill something then I would suggest they are acting out with their skill set and should recommend someone else do the job (im aware this is less than ideal).

Nope, Ive spent my life doing both, and there is a difference between stalking into a deer at 100 yards, and standing on the rail of the cattle pen, over a stable door, in a style, or field, enough difference that not many stalkers would feel confident in doing it, yet have the tools and mindset, just not that specific experience, so I would say they are highly placed to do the job and asking the ideal method/tool shows good sense in my mind.

 

[Dan Newcombe]

Apologies for my facetious comment above.
Differences include the fact that the animal my be restrained, wounded or penned up, so very different stress levels.
Different shot placement.
Different ricochet risk.
Different considerations over choice of firearm to use, and ammunition.

Etc etc etc

Appreciated - I was being similarly obtuse.

It’s all of those factors that make me feel it’s not something that can be learned ‘through correspondence’ on a forum.

If you asked someone to come and shoot a sheep / cow etc and they said ‘no problem, il just go and ask the good folk on the Stalking Directory which gun to use and where to point it’ - would you be happy for them to do it?

Either way - it’s now been well covered.

 

[James0586]

I get that, but if that person needs to come on here to find out how to kill something then I would suggest they are acting out with their skill set and should recommend someone else do the job (im aware this is less than ideal).

Being the OP let me explain my reason for asking and my original post. The issue isn’t/wasn’t with how to kill the animal humanely, that I can do.

my enquiring was to find out what was legal or not as not to come foul of the law.

one of the farms I shoot over has asked that if the need arises could I please dispatch on request any livestock (sheep/goats & it’s not a regular thing).

Having both shotguns and Firearms I only asked as on the forum there are people with far more experience than me on the subject and on confirmation from several members my idea of using the .410 had only become a solid go to weapon for the same reasons that I had already thought of.
Cheers

 

[VSS]

Appreciated - I was being similarly obtuse.

It’s all of those factors that make me feel it’s not something that can be learned ‘through correspondence’ on a forum.

If you asked someone to come and shoot a sheep / cow etc and they said ‘no problem, il just go and ask the good folk on the Stalking Directory which gun to use and where to point it’ - would you be happy for them to do it?

Either way - it’s now been well covered.

I think it's reasonable to ask on here. There's a fair amount of knowledge to tap into. I've been slaughtering domestic livestock for 35 years, and know my way around the rules and the grey areas.

 

[Dan Newcombe]

Agreed it’s reasonable to ask in regard to nuance and detail but (not in relation to the OP) the questions are often ‘what should I use’ or simply ‘can I’ or ‘how should I’.

I try to avoid it where possible because it’s not a particularly fun game but it’s pretty simple. Get as close as practical. In a pen - shotgun to the head. In a field - rifle to the head. If it’s not going to stand still - rifle to the chest. All you are trying to do is kill it as efficiently as possibly.

There is obviously a lot more to it under field conditions - especially in a field (who can’t hit a target 5m away in a pen with a shotgun) such as target moving about and making sure it’s still safe etc but other than that, for humane dispatch (rather than home slaughter, which is a bit of a different game) you just pick something suitable and shoot it in the head.

 

[308rws]

Being the OP let me explain my reason for asking and my original post. The issue isn’t/wasn’t with how to kill the animal humanely, that I can do.

my enquiring was to find out what was legal or not as not to come foul of the law.

one of the farms I shoot over has asked that if the need arises could I please dispatch on request any livestock (sheep/goats & it’s not a regular thing).

Having both shotguns and Firearms I only asked as on the forum there are people with far more experience than me on the subject and on confirmation from several members my idea of using the .410 had only become a solid go to weapon for the same reasons that I had already thought of.
Cheers

In an emergency e.g. if you find an animal catastrophically injured or in severe suffering, anyone can perform euthanasia for the purpose of preventing suffering, as long as they are competent, have the permission of the animal's keeper/owner and if necessary for the method of dispatch, hold the appropriate FAC and firearm etc.

If an animal is killed in more routine circumstances e.g. suffering is more chronic and less severe and the animal is not fit to be transported, the animal should be killed by someone holding a welfare of animals at time of kill (WATOK) license (and the appropriate FAC - as above). What the Food Standards Agency refer to as "slaughter of livestock with a firearm and free projectile". This animal should only enter the food chain if a veterinarian performs an antemortem inspection and a slaughterhouse is willing to accept the animal (it must arrive within two hours of slaughter). Otherwise the animal can be consumed by the keeper/owner, but not given to friends or sold for money.

An animal not entering the food chain or eaten by the family should then be disposed of after slaughter by a fallen stock collector, which it is the keeper/owner's responsibility to arrange, after killing.

 

[jimo]

Agreed it’s reasonable to ask in regard to nuance and detail but (not in relation to the OP) the questions are often ‘what should I use’ or simply ‘can I’ or ‘how should I’.

I try to avoid it where possible because it’s not a particularly fun game but it’s pretty simple. Get as close as practical. In a pen - shotgun to the head. In a field - rifle to the head. If it’s not going to stand still - rifle to the chest. All you are trying to do is kill it as efficiently as possibly.

There is obviously a lot more to it under field conditions - especially in a field (who can’t hit a target 5m away in a pen with a shotgun) such as target moving about and making sure it’s still safe etc but other than that, for humane dispatch (rather than home slaughter, which is a bit of a different game) you just pick something suitable and shoot it in the head.

I thought I knew what I was doing when I went to shoot a prolapsed ewe between the eyes with a .22 sub. It bounced of the front of the skull and pinged around the barn like a comedy western! I should have asked someone who had done it before.
As has been said before there is no such thing as a stupid question. There is however a search function!

 

[jmb]

In an emergency e.g. if you find an animal catastrophically injured or in severe suffering, anyone can perform euthanasia for the purpose of preventing suffering, as long as they are competent, have the permission of the animal's keeper/owner and if necessary for the method of dispatch, hold the appropriate FAC and firearm etc.

If an animal is killed in more routine circumstances e.g. suffering is more chronic and less severe and the animal is not fit to be transported, the animal should be killed by someone holding a welfare of animals at time of kill (WATOK) license (and the appropriate FAC - as above). What the Food Standards Agency refer to as "slaughter of livestock with a firearm and free projectile". This animal should only enter the food chain if a veterinarian performs an antemortem inspection and a slaughterhouse is willing to accept the animal (it must arrive within two hours of slaughter). Otherwise the animal can be consumed by the keeper/owner, but not given to friends or sold for money.

An animal not entering the food chain or eaten by the family should then be disposed of after slaughter by a fallen stock collector, which it is the keeper/owner's responsibility to arrange, after killing.

I have followed the discussion, contributions and found it immensely helpful thank you. Particularly the link to the FSS regulations.
My sons and I all shoot and stalk, are experienced, qualified processed carcasses for home consumption etc.
No 1 son is proposing that one of the farmers whose land he shoots over, he and I buy three or four pigs for rearing and slaughter and home consumption.
The FSS link sets out very clearly the difference between home and private slaughter and the limitations on distributing the meat.
After reading same, following the discussions etc, if we do choose to dabble with home pig rearing they will be going to abattoir for private slaughter and avoiding the home slaughter problems.
Now, off to read about licences for transporting pigs!

 

[Bowland blades]

Ear hole to opposite eye both sides where a line would cross point blank range 410 shot gun ideal but could be donecwith so many things .
Many hill farmers still use a hammer in the same way
Shotgun is preferable numer 7 like this will drop a large cow , might edge things up some if it was a bull for obvious reasons .
Sheep still have to be removed by the knacker man , hopefully he is just after saving the killing fee and tge carcass will be removed correctly, if not don't get involved imo

 

[Robbie45]

If you read the firearms act you will find that using a firearm / shotgun for the humane destruction of animals is perfectly legitimate. It is up to the user to ensure that is as humane as possible and as safe as possible. Often you will end up using what is to hand and what is available.

With a wounded animal, often it will in a very high state of distress, and trying to close the distance will just add to this. But pretty any centrefire rifle will quickly end most large domestic animals suffering, and you can do efficiently and safely from 20 or 50 yards away.

A shotgun, with a normal shotshell is also very efficient, but you need to be very close as in low single digit meters. I once put down a dairy cow that had broken its back with an alphamax to the back of the head - much the disgust of the farm manager who wanted to send it away for slaughter - but that’s another story.

you gave a great answer, but which is ever the quickest means to ensure less time sufferings. apprecated

 

[204rips]

I’ve done so myself and seen many more dropped with a .410 at very close distance and I can promise at around 6” there is nothing walking in the uk that won’t die instantly with this. Eley 3” mag cartidge is what I and other I know have used.

As an aside, I shot what we called runners and riders (escapees) during the foot and mouth.
Big animals running free 7x57 in yards or pens, either .22 if close or ,243 if a bull or the like.
Went to a farm and met the Vet to shoot a large bull in a yard. Did all the safety and risk assessment and with the Vet carrying my empty 7mm in case it escaped, I proceeded to whack it with a head shot from .243. Bang!! and the bull rocked and stood looking at us, a spot on shot as normal, but not dead. Plan B says the Vet and passed me the 7mm. Down goes the bull, two holes in skull 1/2" apart, explain that one.

it happens, 99% of all cattle I seen dropped in the foot and mouth cull was either from a 22lr or a 12g with a slug.