An alarming statistic, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) (2012) reported that “Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting was one of only two private industries to experience an increase in the rate of injuries and illnesses in 2011 compared to 2010.” The BLS specifically pointed out that the increase was driven in both crop and animal production (primarily dairy cattle and milk production) industries.
There is a high percentage of contact time between animals and human beings in the dairy industry on a daily basis. How do these injuries occur? Many victims of animal injuries result from being stepped on, kicked, fallen on, crushed by cows or mauled by bulls and gored by animals that have not been dehorned.
When training workers about proper livestock handling practices it is important to remind them that dairy animals have panoramic vision, which means that they are able to see all the way around themselves except for a small blind spot at the nose and rear of the animal.
Knowing how to approach an animal from the side while using verbal cues in a non-threatening manner will minimize spooking the animal. The “flight zone” is often referred to as an animal’s “personal space”. In essence entering the flight zone will cause the animal to move away from you. For example a wild animal will have a large flight zone up to as much as 160 feet in diameter whereas most tame dairy cows will have a very minimal flight zone and can often be difficult to move. Understanding and using the “flight zone” in the proper manner can help facilitate the moving of an animal in a desired direction. Learning the flight zone penetration area will take some practice within each species (See Figure 1.).
Cattle are more sensitive to noise than humans, particularly those at higher frequencies. Yelling and hollering causes stress to animals and can make them more difficult to handle. Staying quiet and calm will help minimize these reactions. Additionally, unexpected loud noises such as banging gates, loud exhaust from air cylinders, starting an engine, etc. may startle animals. One way to help condition cattle is to utilize a radio played at moderate volume in the barn at all times to help reduce the reaction to unfamiliar, sudden noises.
One needs to remember that cattle are herd animals and isolation may cause them to be nervous, stressed or agitated. So when working with an animal, having a companion animal near will help keep the one being treated calmer.
Cattle do remember painful or frightening experiences. If an area of the barn brings-up unpleasant memories for cows such as pokes, slipping or rough handling, they may become unwilling to cooperate and react accordingly.
Good livestock handlers should be able to watch for warning signs of an agitated animal. They will show such signs as raised head or bulls may have lowered heads if they are going to charge,pinned ears, raised tails, raised hair on back, bared teeth, excessive bawling, pawing the ground, and snorting.
Appropriate livestock handling behavior include:
- Slow and deliberate actions.
- No loud noises or quick movements.
- Do not prod an animal when it has no place to go.
- Gently touching animals has a more favorable response than shoving or bumping them.
- We need to respect animals, however not fear them.
- Intact male animals, especially dairy bulls should be considered potentially dangerous at all times and proper equipment and facilities should be made available to assure safety of handlers.
- Animals tend to become highly protective of their young especially during parturition.
- Animals will defend their territory which should be kept in mind at all times, given their size, mass, strength, and speed.
- Cows will typically kick forward and out to the side and will also have the tendency to kick toward the side where they have pain from inflammation or injuries. Young stock may kick straight back also. Thus, if a cow has a single quarter with mastitis you may want to approach her from the opposite side of the affected udder when examining her or utilize proper restraint to avoid being hurt.
Personal hygiene is extremely important as humans can contract diseases from livestock (Zoonosis.) Diseases such as leptospirosis, Staphylococcus aureus, rabies, and ringworm are fairly common whereas anthrax and bovine tuberculosis are rare but still exist. Using personal protective equipment such as splash guards, eye wash stations, gloves, and wash stations along with good hygiene by livestock handlers will minimize contagion. Dead animals should be disposed of in a timely and proper manner to minimize spread or potential exposure to disease.
Lastly, using appropriate livestock handling equipment is a must. Equipment such as man gates in pens, working/squeeze chutes, treatment pens, halters, head-gates, anti-kicking devices, hip lifters or cattle lifters should be available and in proper working order. Facility design is also important including gate placement, pen size, spacing between railings or boards and lighting.
Figure 1. Flight Zone, Temple Grandin
Source: iGrow
