Euthanasia of farm animals is a critical but often poorly managed welfare intervention, with skill gaps in on-farm killing methods causing unnecessary suffering at the end of life for millions of animals annually.
On-farm euthanasia is the last welfare intervention available for a suffering animal, and its failure causes some of the most acute suffering in agricultural systems. A failed captive bolt that does not achieve immediate insensibility leaves an animal conscious during what should be the final instant of its life. Manual cervical dislocation performed incorrectly on poultry fails to achieve rapid death. Blunt trauma to the head, while potentially effective when applied correctly, is frequently performed with insufficient force or precision. The skills required for humane on-farm euthanasia are not intuitive and require training. The welfare cost of inadequate euthanasia training is measurable in prolonged suffering at the moment of death.