Farmers Views on the Implementation of On-Farm Emergency Slaughter for the Management of Acutely Injured Cattle in Ireland

SIMPLE SUMMARY: There are four options for the management of cattle that experience a severe or acute injury on-farm: treatment, unless cattle are severely injured; on-farm emergency slaughter (OFES); casualty slaughter (CS), where the animal is transported to an abattoir, provided that a vet has certified it fit for transport; or euthanasia. OFES is designed to avoid severely injured animals being transported to the abattoir. An online survey was designed to determine the perceptions of beef and dairy farmers about the management of acutely injured cattle in Ireland. The survey included questions about the farmer (e.g., age, gender) and farm (e.g., herd size), number of acutely injured cattle in 2020, and the frequency of the four management options that were used. Questions on the farmers’ knowledge and experience of, and the cost implications of OFES were included. Other questions related to recommendations to improve OFES. The results were based on responses from 94 farmers: 49 dairy and 45 beef farmers. Not all farmers answered all questions. Most farmers had a positive view of OFES. Negative views related to the poor availability of OFES and that it had a higher overall cost than CS. Increasing availability of OFES and a decreasing cost would help to reduce the number of acutely injured cattle that go for CS. ABSTRACT: Four management options for acutely injured cattle in Ireland exist: treatment, unless cattle are severely injured; on-farm emergency slaughter (OFES); casualty slaughter (CS) if the animal is certified fit for transport; or euthanasia. OFES is designed to prevent transport of welfare-compromised cattle. An online survey of farmers in Ireland was carried out between April and July 2021 and focused on events during 2020. A theoretical framework of capacity, willingness, and opportunity was used to explore farmers’ perceptions. Responses from 94 farmers (49 dairy and 45 beef) were analysed; not all respondents answered all questions. Respondents indicated that the incidence of acutely injured cattle in Ireland is low. A majority reported not having an acutely injured animal for greater than 36 months. Most respondents had a positive attitude towards OFES for animal welfare reasons and were aware of relevant regulations and guidelines. Barriers to OFES included a lack of availability of OFES, and dairy farmers indicated that it had a similar financial impact as euthanasia. A parallel study with veterinarians indicated a higher incidence of acutely injured cattle in Ireland; the current results may be due to the demographic or the sensitivity of the topic. Nationwide electronic data capture on the cause of mortality could support improvements in the management of acutely injured cattle and enable surveillance of the proportion of these cattle undergoing OFES, euthanasia, or CS.