Angora (Mohair) Goat Basics: Euthanasia

Agriculture, farming, husbandry, goats, Angora, Mohair, euthanasia, slaughter

By Dr Clive Dalton

Euthanasia
If you have to euthanase a goat of any age, it’s important to study the Code of Animal Welfare No. 19 on “the emergency slaughter of farm livestock”, because the process can be very dangerous for the operator, and you may end up being prosecuted for causing unnecessary pain and suffering to the animal.

Shooting

• Captive bolt devices are available without the need of a firearms license. These days it’s wise not to use one that looks like a pistol or you may alert the police armed offenders’ squad! Use the model that is like a metal tube with no pistol handgrip available from suppliers of veterinary equipment.
  
• Use the correct calibre blank cartridge for the size of the animal and hold it on the sheep’s head before firing. If in doubt use a heavier calibre blank.
• Firearms: For which a license is needed. With a shotgun or 0.22 rifle, hold the weapon at least 10-25 centimetres from the head when firing to avoid blowback.
• For polled goats: the correct site for the shot is in the midline on the highest point of the head, aiming straight down towards the angle of the jaw.
• For horned goats: select a site in the middle of the head just behind the bony ridge between the horns aiming at the back of the throat. NOTE: if you use this position, it’s important to bleed the goat promptly as they have been known to regain consciousness.
• Immediately after an animal has been shot, its throat should be cut to ensure it has fully bled and is dead.
  

Throat cutting (exanguination)

• After shooting this is the next best method to kill a goat.
• It’s been the traditional way to kill a goat for home kill or dog tucker and for some religions.
• The most humane method is to cut the throat without breaking the neck. Breaking the neck only causes additional trauma before the animal has lost consciousness.
• The knife used should be very sharp and the blade at least 15cm long.
• Restrain the gaot gently but firmly, standing or lying on it’s left side with its chin in your left hand (vice versa if left handed), to extend the neck.
• Part the fibre over the throat just behind the angle of the jaw. Make a swift firm cut across the upper part of the neck, severing both main (carotid) arteries and both main (jugular) veins. The windpipe (trachea) and gullet (oesophagus) will also be severed.
• The goat will lose consciousness in 3-8 seconds and should be held firmly until then. A huge amount of blood will be seen pumping from the arteries, so be warned if you don’t like the sight of blood!
• The signs of death (as opposed to unconsciousness) are lack of pulse and breathing, the eye pupils widely distended, and lack of blinking reflex when the surface of the eye is touched.
• Take great care as many cut legs result from killing goats when the knife slips.
  

Blow to the head

• This should be a last resort if a firearm or knife is not available.
• The goat should be firmly restrained and then hit with a blunt instrument with sufficient force to break the skull and cause physical damage to the brain and cause rapid death.
• A soft blow will only stun the goat so make sure you hit it hard enough to causes brain damage at the same time.
• The best weapon to use for a goat is a heavy hammer or the back of a small axe (hatchet).
• Hit the goat in the same spot described above for the captive bolt.
• Cut the goat’s throat immediately after stunning it.