.223 for vetenary medicine

[Barrel Nut]

Not really sure where to post this, but this seems like as good of a place as any of the others. A friend has asked me to load him some ammo for the purpose of dispatching sick cattle. He raises beef cattle on a small farm and has periodically had to dispatch a sick or injured animal. In the past he has shot animals with a .44 mag that belonged to an employee of his, but that is no longer available. I told him that a .223 would be marginal at very best and he should really look for something a little more potent but he is still willing to use what he has. Any input would be appreciated, experience especially would be valued. Any suggestions for bullet, would be helpful. His preferred method is one round to the base of the skull, but the bone density there seems like it may be tough to smash with a .223, so shot placement suggestions would be helpful too. I currently have 75 hunting VLD's, 77 SMK's, 80 Nosler CC's and 60 partitions, so I would prefer to use one of those if possible.
Thanks
JS

 

[oldfatguy]

The .223 is not very well suited for dispatching full grown cattle. Kind of like trying to haul a cord of firewood in your Prius. A very well constructed heavy bullet might work most of the time, but maybe not all the time.

Any SMK or other hollow point is about the worst. Military steel core penetrator bullets would be about as good as you could get for the purpose.

OFG

 

[Sonic Crack]

About anything would work I would say. Point blank 223 is gona hurt. I'd even load them on the low end

 

[redneckbmxer24]

223 has more energy and velocity than 44mag and will penetrate much further so if 44 works 223 will work at least as good. If you're talking about head shots any good hard bullet would work. 55gr FMJ, 62gr FMJ, fusion for factory ammo, partitions, TSX. They will all hold together to penetrate. If you've got partitions, that's what I'd try.

 

[CrazyDonkey]

Any caliber will work if you are putting the muzzle at the point you want to shoot. Load anything.

 

[timjoebobbradley]

from my perspective, as someone that has dispatched a lot of farm animals, .22 rf is completely inadequate for a cow. 223 will work, but make sure it is something other than a varmint bullet- even 55 grain is lightly constructed for a cow skull. I would probably prefer something handier like a handgun, but use whatever they have.

so the nosler partition would be great although slightly spendy. but he really isn't going to be doing hundreds of cows, so it won't matter much . I used a suppressed .44 and it would work perfectly

 

[tootall87825]

22 long rifle has put down millions of animals . Ask any old country kid what their Dad or Granddad used when butchering beef or hogs .

 

[tiNdvenTFHwMdqKW]

22 long rifle has put down millions of animals . Ask any old country kid what their Dad or Granddad used when butchering beef or hogs .

+1 Draw an X from the eyes to the horns - that is your target.


How to Slaughter Cattle (with Pictures) - wikiHow

 

[tsavo303]

no reason for .223, too much muzzle blast. you dont need all that velocity either. id stick with a handgun or .22

 

[Pusher591]

223 would be fine with a 50-70 grain TSX bullet.

 

[Bear24]

Your partitions will work just fine

 

[Fuzzy Bunny]

Your partitions will work just fine

^This

I need ten characters to post this

 

[proneshooter]

WTF a cheap .357 magnum revolver will do this no muss no fuss

 

[Big Z]

338 ultra mag....

 

[Name Enough]

I worked at a German slaughter house during my apprenticeship. All animals were dispatched with a 22 cal gun that resembled a caulking gun. The plunger was drawn up and a round was placed in the gun and it was placed on the animals skull and the plunger was slammed home. Dead Cows - Bulls - Steers each time I saw it used.

 

[pawprint2]

There is no doubt that a 55fmj will dispatch any cow, sick or otherwise, from a point black-muzzle inches away from the exact point of aim in an extremely humane and quick fashion. With that said, it is Overkill, and actually creates a situation where you may have shoot through-keeping safety in mind. The most perfect of all handgun cartridges-the 45ACP was tested extensively in the Chicago Stockyards circa 1905, on cattle (and human cadavers for that matter) and was found to work like a house a fire. If it were me, having to put down sick cattle etc., a handgun would be my first choice, I don't think cattle have become harder to kill in the last 100 years.

 

[bm11]

There is a significant amount of misinformation on the web about the capability and lethality of the .223 round.

 

[fdkay]

Lots of muzzle blast and noise with that .223.
Speer 70 grain semi-spitzer would work very well.
My vote goes for a taurus .22 magnum revolver.
Taurus Model 941 .22 Magnum Revolver

 

[jtv3062]

There is no doubt that a 55fmj will dispatch any cow, sick or otherwise, from a point black-muzzle inches away from the exact point of aim in an extremely humane and quick fashion. With that said, it is Overkill, and actually creates a situation where you may have shoot through-keeping safety in mind. The most perfect of all handgun cartridges-the 45ACP was tested extensively in the Chicago Stockyards circa 1905, on cattle (and human cadavers for that matter) and was found to work like a house a fire. If it were me, having to put down sick cattle etc., a handgun would be my first choice, I don't think cattle have become harder to kill in the last 100 years.

I wouldn't say 55 fmj would be the ticket. I watched a cow take 2 to the head and one to the brisket at 15 feet. A 20 gauge slug to the head at point blank to finsh her.

 

[TRTAC]

I have seen cows put down with 22lr from ten feet away. The butcher quickly bled it out (putting it nicely) so I dont know if the 22 killed it or stunned it. 223 should be more than enough if done at a point blank range.

 

[drglock]

When we have our steers butchered for meat they come out to our house and use an old looking 22. Been using the same guy for years for beef and hogs and always the same old 22 and they drop like a rock

 

[Grand]

.22 mag with 40 fmj. Works for the Swamp People.

 

[wadebrown]

As a teenager I dispatched a number of beef cattle before we cut them up for the dinner table. I was told to shoot them just below the ear when they were broadside to me, I always used a 22 LR and never had an animal not drop immediately. A neurosurgeon told me a 22 LR was devastating once it got inside the skull as it just bounced around destroying more brain tissue than a bullet that goes straight through, he found this out by working on numerous gunshot victims.

The bullets from the 22 LR are less apt to cause to multiple injuries due to a pass through shot.

 

[6brshooter]

Not for sure about wikilink diagram, the slaughter houses i have been to usually put a 22 rf behind the ear, traveling forward to the brain. A bovines skull is incredibly thick, from the poll( hump that horn growes from) to below their eyes. Ever see two bulls fight the butt heads and typically have contusions and bruising, but no shattered skulls. I worked for an outfit that ran 18000 head in 2 countries and 5 states. I had to put down a cancer eye cow that was going terminal,the only firearm I had was a 45 auto with me. It took all 8 230 gr golden sabers at 10 yards. 4" group, centered up like the wikilink pics.

 

[timjoebobbradley]

Not for sure about wikilink diagram, the slaughter houses i have been to usually put a 22 rf behind the ear, traveling forward to the brain. A bovines skull is incredibly thick, from the poll( hump that horn growes from) to below their eyes. Ever see two bulls fight the butt heads and typically have contusions and bruising, but no shattered skulls. I worked for an outfit that ran 18000 head in 2 countries and 5 states. I had to put down a cancer eye cow that was going terminal,the only firearm I had was a 45 auto with me. It took all 8 230 gr golden sabers at 10 yada. 4" group, centered up like the willing pics.

So yes, a .22rf will work. As long as you use it correctly, and with many people that do not know animal anatomy, or someone that hasn't done this before( hence he is asking questions) My recommendation is to not use a .22 rf for full grown cows. Also, if you want to try a side shot where the .22 rf will have the least resistance, you can aim right into the ear aiming for between the ears and eyes.


The other mentioned gun in a german slaughterhouse actually sounds like a captive bolt gun. It fires a rod directly into the brain, but it retracts back and is not a projectile that moves beyond its designed distance of travel-6-8 inches or whatever (less than a foot). I believe these are in common use in slaughterhouses now for safety and economy.

 

[flounderv2]

Yep. the 22 was the choice for slaughter houses for a long time before the captive bolt system came into use.. 22Mag is plenty. Just make sure its in an enclosure. When I was younger I used to help out my moms uncle and have put down countless livestock with a 22 when it was time to slaughter.

 

[diverdon]

22 long rifle has put down millions of animals . Ask any old country kid what their Dad or Granddad used when butchering beef or hogs .

That is a fact! .22LR handgun is plenty. I have butchered hundreds of beef and hogs with nothing more.

 

[ArmaHeavy]

Use what works. If it already hasn't been mentioned yet(.22 and ears), but keep in mind the noise, and the fact that the other cows, and bulls might not like both the noise, and the sight of one of the herd being put down.

 

[2ndamendfan]

I have seen cows put down with 22lr from ten feet away. The butcher quickly bled it out (putting it nicely) so I dont know if the 22 killed it or stunned it. 223 should be more than enough if done at a point blank range.

^^^^^^THIS. Every time I have see a hog or cow butchered they use a 22lr that looks to be a 100 years old. .223 at point blank and I think you will be wearing parts of the cow.

 

[Lafayette]

knife works every time

 

[horsedr]

This might be the one thing I have the credentials as an expert to comment on in this site. A 22 rimfire is more than adequate on all but the biggest bulls and then a 22 mag might be handier. The posters that have instructed about drawing the X on the forehead are absolutely right. Just hold that 22 about an inch off the skin and pull the trigger. One shot, one kill every time if done correctly. BTW, the correct spelling is VETERINARY not vetenary.

 

[TRTAC]

^^^^^^THIS. Every time I have see a hog or cow butchered they use a 22lr that looks to be a 100 years old. .223 at point blank and I think you will be wearing parts of the cow.

Have done it to plenty of deer and elk and have not worn them home. You will be fine with the 22.

 

[fireEMT5]

As a kid growing up on the farm butchering our own cattle and hogs, a .22 LR JHP or FMJ worked EVERY time without fail. Usually the shot was taken at 10 - 15 ft. imagining an X as mentioned above. A shot to the brain and they were dead before they hit the ground. Any caliber larger placed in the right spot will also work. Rural butchers have used the good ole .22 for many decades on cows, bulls, steers, hogs, etc.

 

[my human host]

Use the partitions. If available, a 410 with slugs is also humane.

A 223 may seem like overkill to some, but an ideal shot isn't always available. When you have a pair of 1ton bulls fighting over a cow they just broke down to the ground, or an animal stuck in deep mud, you gotta do what you gotta do. Something that will penetrate the thicker portions of the skull is a good idea.

 

[jordan0317]

338 ultra mag....

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha......... But for real, .338 ultra mag is your best bet

 

[Doeboy]

How about a bolt gun design for the task! You'll never run out of ammo.

 

[KYS]

We have a S&W M&P in 40SW that is in a vault in our farm office. It has shot many a sick cow with basic Federal hollow point or in a pinch we use ball.
If you fire like the above diagram shows you, they are gone almost instant. They wont feel a thing.

 

[Ledzep]

22 long rifle has put down millions of animals . Ask any old country kid what their Dad or Granddad used when butchering beef or hogs .

Yep. .223 is not necessary. If you insist, however, I'd go with a solid copper HP.

For those worried about over-penetration, we once shot a cow with a broken leg in the dome with a 7.62x39 FMJ. While cleaning it we found the projectile just behind her jaw.

 

[tobedell]

This gentleman knows how it's done. The only thing I have not seen in this thread is to hold the firearm perpendicular to the face or scull of the animal when drawing the x marks the spot. I have known some ranchers to swear by the eyeball as a point of entry, again making the center of brain POI.

This might be the one thing I have the credentials as an expert to comment on in this site. A 22 rimfire is more than adequate on all but the biggest bulls and then a 22 mag might be handier. The posters that have instructed about drawing the X on the forehead are absolutely right. Just hold that 22 about an inch off the skin and pull the trigger. One shot, one kill every time if done correctly. BTW, the correct spelling is VETERINARY not vetenary.

 

[jetmd]

22 long rifle has put down millions of animals . Ask any old country kid what their Dad or Granddad used when butchering beef or hogs .

1 well placed shot from a 22rf is all you need.

I grew up in NE Iowa and we used to butcher our own hogs, cattle and chickens....that 22rf will drop a full grown steer like a sack of potato's.

This was when I was a little kid, I remember the neighbor would bring his 22 pump action with open sights and an octagon barrel and
never required a second shot.

 

[SUIScide]

Well as a veterinarian I guess I'll chime in with my 5 cents (hey if I were a real doctor I could charge even more!). I pretty much always have two guns in my truck; an AR 15 in 223 and a Ruger Alaskan that I shot heavy 45 LC's from (454 Casull is a little too rough). I don't consider either ideal for dispatching livestock. Sidearms just make too damn much noise (freaks owners out sometimes, this may not be a problem for the OP) and aren't real easy to shot accurately. Some animals are put down at point blank range but some can be further off, like a donkey i saw a few weeks ago with a broken leg that wouldnt let anyone near him. So a rifle is better. The 223 works okay and I've used it plenty but doesn't put things down with much authority. A shot to the brain doesn't "kill" an animal instantly, just f---s up the brain. The heart beats on. Something with more diameter and a blunt nose will do a much better job of this. Much less likely to see the animal continue breathing or go into a seizure for example. If you need to us a 223 us your nosler partitions, they do a pretty good job. I've thought this over recently,because my partner isn't a hunter/shooter needed a gun for his truck to euthanize large animals. I thought it over and the gun that I've found to be handiest is a Winchester 94 chambered for 45 LC. Easy to aim, big slow bullet, not too loud, not much recoil, pretty reliable, and not to expensive; I bought him a Taurus in 44 mag so throw in inexpensive too. About 22lr, don't do it, not humane. In young cattle or horses they'll work okay (not nearly as good as a larger diameter bullet, and not enough muzzle energy to really destroy lots of brain tissue fast. In large cattle (ie bulls some old cows and bison) the damn thing only gives them a headache. Trust me I've been there (owners get kind of testy at that point too). A big pistol is easiest to use but any high powered rifle will to a good job too.

 

[BullzeyeNJ]

This might be the one thing I have the credentials as an expert to comment on in this site. A 22 rimfire is more than adequate on all but the biggest bulls and then a 22 mag might be handier. The posters that have instructed about drawing the X on the forehead are absolutely right. Just hold that 22 about an inch off the skin and pull the trigger. One shot, one kill every time if done correctly. BTW, the correct spelling is VETERINARY not vetenary.

The voice of experience. Thank you!