Farm animals that are injured or acutely ill and cannot recover require emergency on-farm slaughter, and the welfare quality of emergency killing is a critical but often overlooked area of farm animal welfare.
Emergency slaughter welfare is a particular concern because it occurs under time pressure, without the infrastructure of a slaughterhouse, and often in difficult physical positions. Poorly maintained or incorrectly used captive bolt equipment fails to produce immediate unconsciousness, causing additional suffering at death. Farmers who perform emergency slaughter require appropriate training and access to equipment that is maintained in working order. Veterinary-assisted euthanasia using appropriate injectable agents provides an alternative for situations where physical stunning is impractical. The welfare cost of delaying emergency slaughter while sourcing appropriate assistance must also be considered.