Downer (animal)
Livestock unable to stand, often killed for humane or economic reasons.
A downer is a type of livestock that has lost the ability to stand and is consequently destined for euthanasia. It is important to distinguish a downer from a downed animal, which may also be unable to stand but is not automatically classified as a downer. The condition typically stems from illness or injury, and most farmers consider it both humane and economically sensible to kill the animal rather than sustain it in poor health.
The causes behind an animal becoming a downer are numerous. They include mastitis, metritis, hypomagnesaemia, postparturient hypocalcemia, ketosis, dystocia, nerve damage, pelvic or long bone fractures, neurological disease, and prion-related illnesses like mad cow disease. Additionally, certain feed additives, such as ractopamine, have been linked to downer cases in swine, but this is not a recognized cause in cattle.
After death, the animal may be incinerated, buried, rendered, or slaughtered, depending on how it became a downer and the method of killing. The slaughter of downer cattle has become a significant concern due to mad cow disease.
In the United States, a persistent issue is whether downer animals are treated humanely during transport or holding for slaughter. Legislation has periodically been introduced to ban their sale or transfer, though livestock producer groups argue that voluntary efforts have already curbed harmful practices. The 2002 farm bill required the USDA to investigate nonambulatory livestock and, if necessary, issue humane treatment regulations. Rules vary by jurisdiction: some allow slaughter without question, while others prohibit it even if the cause is a physical injury. Meat inspection falls under the Federal Meat Inspection Act, and auction barns are now barred from accepting sick or downer cows due to rulings stemming from the BSE crisis.
In Canada, federal regulations under the Health of Animals Act require that animals be fit for transport and prohibit moving non-ambulatory animals to prevent additional suffering. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency oversees this welfare.
The discovery of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in two North American cows in 2003 added a new dimension to the downer issue. Infected cattle often become downers, and experts believe nonambulatory cattle pose a higher risk of harboring BSE. Consequently, the USDA banned the slaughter of downer cattle for human f
- definition
- Livestock unable to stand on its own
- common causes
- Mastitis, Metritis, Hypomagnesaemia, Postparturient Hypocalcemia, Ketosis, Dystocia, Nerve damage, Pelvic fracture, Long bone fracture, Neurological disease, Prions/Mad Cow Disease
- linked additive
- Ractopamine in swine (not a cause in cattle)
- key regulatory body (US)
- USDA
- key regulatory body (Canada)
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency
- notable crisis
- BSE (mad cow disease) found in two North American cows in 2003
Lore & Background
A downer is an animal, usually livestock, that cannot stand on its own and therefore is to be killed. A downed animal, one that is unable to stand, is not necessarily a downer. The animal's inability to stand may be caused by illness or injury. In nearly all cases it is considered by most farmers to be both humane and cost-effective to kill the animal when it becomes a downer, rather than keeping it alive and unhealthy. Once killed, and depending on how the animal became a downer and how it was killed, the animal may then be incinerated, buried, rendered, or slaughtered. Because of mad cow disease, the slaughter of downer cattle is a topic of great concern.
Reader's Guide
The downer issue took on another dimension when bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), which often makes infected cattle downers, was found in two North American cows in 2003. Many experts believe that nonambulatory cattle are at higher risk of harboring BSE. As a result, on December 30, 2003, the USDA announced an immediate ban on the slaughter of downer cattle for human food use. At issue is how to monitor the hundreds of thousands of U.S. downer cattle (annual estimate) if they are no longer presented for observation and testing at meat packing plants; also at issue is what to do with their remains, and whether they have any non-food value. Different jurisdictions have different rules about what can be done with a downer cow. In some jurisdictions the cow may be slaughtered without question. In others, downer cattle may not be slaughtered even if the cause is a physical injury. In the United States, meat inspection is usually an interstate commerce issue, and is regulated by the Federal Meat Inspection Act. Now all livestock auction barns are not allowed to take sick or downer cows because of the rulings that originated with the BSE 'mad cow' crisis. In Canada, transportation of animals is federally regulated; the Health of Animals Regulations state that an animal has to be fit for the intended journey and that a non-ambulatory animal cannot be transported because transport would cause additional suffering.
Did You Know?
- A downed animal, one that is unable to stand, is not necessarily a downer.
- Use of the feed additive ractopamine in pigs has been linked to downers.
- The 2002 farm bill required the USDA to investigate and submit a report on nonambulatory livestock.
- In Canada, the Health of Animals Regulations state that a non-ambulatory animal cannot be transported.
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