Epi. 237 – Clinical and Electrocardiographic Evidence of Death following Use of a Poll Shot with a Penetrating Captive Bolt as a Single-step Method for Euthanasia of Cattle

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Renee Dewell and Dr. Grant Dewell to discuss a paper published in the Bovine Practitioner Vol. 29 No.1. The objective of this paper was to validate the effectiveness of a penetrating captive bolt when positioned behind the poll as a single-step method for humane euthanasia of cattle.

We start by reviewing the three main methods of humane euthanasia for cattle which include gunshot, penetrating captive bolt and chemical. Chemical euthanasia does not just include pentobarbital, but can also include general anesthesia followed by the administration of a cardiotoxic agent such as saturated potassium chloride. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each method. The poll shot method has been approved for a secondary step after a frontal shot; however this study evaluated the poll shot method as a single-step method of euthanasia.

The authors discuss the methods of the study, including sagittal section evaluation of the brain postmortem which demonstrated destruction of the medulla in the majority of the animals. The time to cardiac death was within 12 minutes with a median of eight minutes. We discuss the importance of ensuring confirmation of cardiac death as a necessary step in euthanasia protocols. The authors also describe why cardiac death is longer than respiratory arrest due to the continual beating of the heart via the sinus-atrial node until the body exhausts its supply of ATP. Monitoring for muscle fasciculations is one way to determine when the ATP supply has been exhausted in a euthanized animal, and to then check for a heartbeat via auscultation. Younger animals may have a longer time for cessation of heartbeat. 

Veterinarians should make sure that farms are implementing approved euthanasia protocols, that a written protocol is provided, training for authorized staff is completed with the veterinarians, and monitoring for compliance is performed.

Clinical and electrocardiographic evidence of death following use of a poll shot with a penetrating captive bolt as a single-step method for euthanasia of cattle. (2025). The Bovine Practitioner, 59(1), 9-16. https://doi.org/10.21423/bpj20259048

AABP Humane Euthanasia of Cattle Guidelines