A Saskatchewan RCMP officer had to put down a cow with a broken leg, although things didn't go quite as planned.

The Mountie, from the detachment in Warman, had to shoot 14 times before the yearling calf was put out of its misery at the side of a highway, the RCMP said in a news release.

It happened Monday afternoon on Highway 305 on the west side of the city, which is about 20 kilometres north of Saskatoon. RCMP members were called about a calf that was running loose and eluding capture.

The owner of the calf tried to capture it but didn't have any success.

Calf kicked at people

The calf, which had been bred for rodeo bucking, was kicking at people as they approached and had apparently suffered a compound fracture on one of its hind legs.

Three RCMP officers and a Warman bylaw officer found the calf in a ditch and tried to get it under control, but again they had no luck.

The owner requested that the officers dispatch the calf out of concern for public safety and to end the animal's suffering.

Shotgun advised against

Police were going to use a shotgun, but the owner said that wouldn't work and advised them to use a service pistol instead.

The officer started shooting with the handgun, but it soon became apparent that it wasn't working.

A veterinarian told police that several of the shots landed in an area of the animal's skull that would not have been effective.

The officer fired more shots, 14 in total, until it was over.

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Cow shooting captured on video

Police said at least one bystander videotaped the incident. The RCMP said that video has been reviewed and it's consistent with reports made by the officer and others at the scene.

The animal's remains were removed from the area by the owner.

It was actually the second time Monday that Mounties in Warman were called to an incident involving loose cows.

Earlier in the afternoon, members of the detachment were sent to Highway 11 near a railway overpass.

They found numerous cattle that had gotten loose and were wandering around on the highway. They helped a farmer round them up.