ROFLMAO> I have seen cows killed by dart guns, or never really recover and have to be put down. Especially Brahma influenced cattle, or any cattle really that were stirred up and panicky, jumping over or through barriers, which is when people usually, finally, resort to tranqing them. Hell of a lot ,more damage done to them with the dart gun, then heading and heeling them, be it working cattle or rodeo. Calves on the farm or ranch are usually heeled, not "choked down", but even in rodeo, there is very little damage done to a calf by roping it.
I was 4 when I got my first horse 61 years ago, and 12 when my granddad first fenced in a cotton field and we got cattle. In 52 years of working cattle with horses, I have NEVER injured one by roping it, or using horses to gather them and sort them. I started team roping when I was about 16, and I have never injured one in practice, jackpot or rodeo. Even a rodeo cal;f-roping calf, is more likely to h get killed or injured by lightening, than in the rodeo arena.