Abstract
Simple SummaryEuthanasia is the practice of ending the life of an animal that has no possibility of improvement and aims at minimizing suffering and mitigating poor animal welfare. Concerns regarding animal welfare are an international priority given that euthanasia standard requirements have the potential to impact the global trade of animal products. To ensure positive dairy cattle welfare by minimizing suffering via euthanasia, we must first understand how euthanasia is viewed within the Brazilian dairy community and identify barriers that prevent timely euthanasia from occurring. Therefore, we aimed to explore perspectives and attitudes about euthanasia specific to the Brazilian dairy industry using focus groups. Upon analysis of the discussions, three main themes were revealed: Euthanasia Training and Farm and Human Components. Several subthemes are discussed. The lack of nationally recognized euthanasia guidelines for dairy cattle paired with ineffective and inaccessible euthanasia tools makes it difficult for dairy veterinarians to implement humane protocols for on-farm euthanasia. In addition, logistical factors, particularly, the financial cost of euthanasia and the human–animal bond, play a role in the failure to perform euthanasia when warranted. Future studies should focus on the development of science-based standards and producer training to improve the consistency of on-farm euthanasia in Brazilian dairy operations.The objective of this study was to explore perspectives and attitudes about euthanasia specific to the Brazilian dairy cattle industry. Twenty-five Brazilian citizens (13 veterinarians, 4 animal scientists, 3 professors, 3 researchers, 1 dairy owner, and 1 caretaker) participated in one of three focus groups conducted and recorded online (10, 8, and 7 participants per group). Questions regarding euthanasia were posed by a moderator, and the focus group discussions were then transcribed verbatim for analysis. After the initial data analysis, themes were evaluated and collapsed into three major categories: Euthanasia Training and Farm and Human Components. A complex interconnection between the three main themes and multiple subthemes specific to dairy cattle euthanasia was also revealed. The lack of nationally recognized euthanasia guidelines for dairy cattle paired with ineffective and inaccessible euthanasia tools makes it difficult for dairy veterinarians to implement humane protocols for on-farm euthanasia. In addition, logistical factors, particularly, the financial cost of euthanasia and the human–animal bond, play a role in the failure to perform euthanasia when warranted. Future studies should focus on the development of science-based standards and producer training to improve the consistency of on-farm euthanasia in Brazilian dairy operations.
Highlights
Euthanasia is the practice of ending the life of a patient or animal who has no prospect of improvement [1]
Brazilian citizens associated with the dairy cattle industry were recruited using an electronic mailing list to participate in this study using a convenience sampling methodology
For this study, a private message was sent to each individual in the group, and a series of questions were asked to determine if the group’s members were (1) familiar with dairy cattle; (2) familiar with euthanasia in dairy cattle; (3) willing to participate in a focus group discussion
Summary
Euthanasia is the practice of ending the life of a patient or animal who has no prospect of improvement [1]. Even with extensive euthanasia training and experience, individuals performing this task can be affected emotionally. Euthanasia-related stress has been documented in those working in shelters [3], veterinary clinics [4], swine operations [5,6,7], and dairy farms [8,9,10]. This condition, more commonly referred to as compassion fatigue, affects people in caretaking jobs and may interfere with an individual’s ability to perform work-related tasks [11]
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