Low birth-weight and moribund piglets have low survival rates and often must be euthanized to prevent suffering. Stockpeople should be readily able to determine that the euthanasia procedure is effective. The objective of this study was to determine the most practical animal-based measures for assessing the effectiveness of euthanasia for neonate pigs. Low birth-weight and low viability piglets (<24 hr) were euthanized by stockpeople using either a non-penetrating captive bolt device (Zephyr; N=99) or a firm, sharp blow to the head (Blunt Trauma; N=76). An observer, blind to treatment, recorded the following measures immediately (within 3 sec) following application: 1) presence/absence of corneal reflex; 2) presence/absence of jaw tone; 3) presence/absence of breathing; 4) eye position (fixed/rotated); 5) presence/absence and duration of paddling leg movements; 6) presence/absence and duration of heart beat. All piglets were immediately rendered insensible by both treatments as determined by lack of both jaw tone and corneal reflex. Thirteen Zephyr piglets showed signs of returning to sensibility; data collection was terminated and euthanasia technique was immediately reapplied. Breathing, heart beat and leg paddling were observed in 0, 76.3 and 75.0% of the 76 Blunt Trauma piglets and in 2.3, 93.0 and 94.2% of the 86 remaining Zephyr piglets, respectively. In both treatments paddling ceased prior to heart beat, but piglets euthanized by Zephyr had longer durations of both paddling and heart beat compared to those killed by Blunt Trauma (PROC GLM; Paddling = 124.6±11.25 vs. 68.4±7.14 sec, P<0.001; Heart Beat = 408.65±38.82 vs. 170.91±18.43 sec, P<0.001). Paddling movements should be expected in a large proportion of piglets following physical means of euthanasia. Immediate and sustained lack of jaw tone, corneal reflex and absence of breathing combined with cessation of leg paddling within two minutes appear to be good signs of humane death in neonate piglets.