[Smokin' Joe]

The rancher probably wanted to shoot the bull himself for the meat

It is possible he wanted to keep the animal from being shot, too. Means of production and all that. The biggest reason the animal was shot may have been that it was agitated, not that it was irreparably damaged. (Not enough info to say).

A good cowhand can get a critter to behave, back down or move along when someone not so well versed in dealing with livestock will make a mess of things.

[FourPeas]

A good cowhand can get a critter to behave, back down or move along when someone not so well versed in dealing with livestock will make a mess of things.

Exactly.

[Noumenon]

A good cowhand can get a critter to behave, back down or move along when someone not so well versed in dealing with livestock will make a mess of things.

I've done that with horses. Some of the hired help that local stables employ aren't too swift, and more to the point, they don't' speak very good horse. Had more than one occasion where I've had to intervene to get a critter calmed down and back in hand.