Injured, Diseased, Or Dead Animals
Necropsy of deceased animals should be performed by a veterinarian experienced with that species or by a veterinary pathologist. The size of carcasses may require special equipment for loading and transport. Local ordinance(s) may require watertight conveyance or permits. Chain of custody must be maintained. Field necropsy should not be performed if anthrax is suspected, to protect personnel and the environment (Muller et al., 2015). If transport to a diagnostic laboratory is not practical, then a field necropsy should be performed. The entire procedure should be photographed beginning with overall, multiple mid-range and close-up photographs where the animal died. Livestock field necropsy techniques are described in several references (Mason & Madden, 2007; Brown et al., 2008; Griffin, 2012; Frank et al., 2015).
Assessing Welfare
There are no federal laws governing minimum welfare standards of farmed animal species. Animal cruelty and animal neglect are legal definitions that vary by jurisdiction. While all 50 states have anticruelty laws, each defines cruelty differently, and regulations may exempt some or all of the agricultural animal species. Nearly all of the statutes address the adequacy of food, water, shelter, and necessary veterinary care, while exempting “accepted agricultural practices.” These minimum requirements vary regionally; therefore, utilizing guidelines available from the local extension offices has probative value as being relevant to the current case and utilizing information readily available to the general public. For example, ventilation and shade are vital in warm climates during summer, so an open-air covered shelter or natural shade is essential. In contrast, cold, winter conditions necessitate windbreaks and possibly supplemental heat for some species. The adequacy of minimum standards is assessed in relation to breed, husbandry system, geographic area, season, and production stage. Herd health is comparable to human public health in that management practices are designed to promote optimum health, welfare, and productivity in a population. Both systems monitor disease and death losses and adjust practices to minimize their incidence.
Availability of adequate amounts of quality forage, crop yields, and fluctuating market prices can all have an impact on management practices during difficult climatic and financial times. State extension services provide information on recommended nutrition and husbandry practices in their geographic area and modify their recommendations based on current local conditions (Hancock et al., 2017). Nontraditional feedstuff may be utilized during these times. For example, some producers utilize spent grains from local custom breweries or day-old bakery products and balance the ration accordingly (Saleh et al., 1996; Mavromichalis, 2013; Bernard, 2017).
Assessing and Documenting the Animals and Premises
Prior to the initial site inspection, determine if additional resources are required. Are there areas where the animals can be collected, assessed, and processed with minimum stress? Are there sufficient pens, chutes, head gates, flags, pig boards, or halters to expedite handling? Are there sufficient numbers of experienced individuals for all species involved? Are there knowledgeable stockmen with experience moving and restraining the species present? Do the veterinarians have experience with all species likely to be present?
