I would guess that what happened is that the beef got loose.
It became obvious that it would be killed.
If it were shot or killed in any other manner, it would have not been fit for the meat market.
So the owner who alreay paid for the animal quickly took matters into his own hand and killed it in the only way he could and still recoup losses.
not true, my uncles farmed for years in Wisconsin and usually killed their food animals with a shot behind the ear..I've been deer hunting for years and a deer, with a rifle bullet in it, tastes just fine and is perfectly safe to eat,.