Emergency euthanasia of cattle challenged with Escherichia coli O157:H7 - a case study for evaluating the response to an infectious disease outbreak.

In the event of an infectious disease outbreak in cattle, carcasses must be disposed of in a rapid and contained manner. This brief communication details injection of a barbiturate to euthanize cattle inoculated with Escherichia coli O157:H7 followed by carcass composting in a manner that prevents the spread of infectious agents.