Stunning

The animal must be killed as quickly and humanely as possible. In a

slaughter house the cattle are driven into a knocking pen where they

are stunned with a compression gun. On the farm a mechanical stunner

is usually not available; therefore, stunning is best accomplished

with a well-directed long or long rifle bullet from a .22-caliber

rifle. _As with the use of any firearms, normal precautions should be

taken when stunning the animal._

The purpose of stunning is to render the animal unconscious so that

its throat can be cut. When stunning is accomplished with a

.22-caliber rifle, the bullet should penetrate the skull and strike

the brain. The location of the brain is shown in figure 3. If done

properly the animal will be immobilized for several minutes.

[Illustration: Drawing with side and front views of brain location]

Figure 3.—Location of the brain.

It is best to have the animal secured to a tree or strong post. Direct

the bullet at the intersection of two imaginary lines extending from

the right edge of the poll to the center of the left eye and from the

left edge of the poll to the center of the right eye as shown in

figure 4.

[Illustration: Man holding gun pointed at front of cow. X indicates

target location]

Figure 4.—The X shows where to stun.