Timely and humane euthanasia of suffering cattle is a core welfare responsibility; delays in euthanasia decisions and inadequate methods cause preventable prolonged suffering.
The decision to euthanise a suffering animal that cannot recover is a welfare obligation, not a last resort to be postponed. On-farm euthanasia audits consistently find that decisions are delayed beyond the point at which the animal could be saved, resulting in prolonged suffering. Training farmers to apply welfare-based euthanasia criteria, and ensuring access to appropriate equipment and veterinary support, directly reduces suffering in the most vulnerable farm animals.