| Handling Farm Animals Safely |
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| |
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| Horses, Cattle, Swine and Sheep |
Regardless of the types of animals you raise on your farm, complacency and the
feeling of being safe in their presence may leave you off guard. Injuries usually
occur when the victim does not expect it and all animals should be considered
unpredictable. A lack of knowledge of animal behavior could put a handler into
dangerous situations. Thousands of animal related injuries occur each year, some
even resulting in death. Don’t overlook the importance of safety around livestock,
particularly with inexperienced employees and family members.
Some of the most common injuries include being stepped on by large animals, being
knocked down , kicked, thrown while riding, or pinned between the animal and a
hard surface. Many injuries also occur each year from bites.
FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT
What can you do to prevent animal injuries? Proper equipment and handling
facilities for your type of operation are a must. Larger animals, in particular need
equipment that is able to restrain them for general maintenance or health care.
Pens should be equipped with a man-gate or other means of escape if necessary.
Crowding animals into sorting or working chutes should be done with crowd gates,
not with drivers. Catwalks along chutes and alleys eliminate the need for working
in the alley. If the catwalk is more than 18” or so off the ground, it should be
protected by a guardrail to prevent falls.
Walking or working surfaces should be free of tripping and slipping hazards for
both animals and workers. Eliminate protrusions and sharp corners. Lighting in
handling and housing facilities should be even and diffused. Bright spots mixed with
shadows in alleys and crowding pens will often cause cattle to balk. Guard the
moving parts of a hydraulically operated squeeze chute and tilt table. Use solid
panels for moving swine.
Loading ramps and handling chutes ideally should have solid side-walls to prevent
animals from seeing outside distractions with their wide-angle vision. Blocking
vision will also help stop escape attempts.
The sense of smell is extremely important to animals, especially between females
and newborns. Often animals react to odors we do not detect. For example, sheep
may be lured by the smell of freshly mown hay or a bull may become aggressive
when he detects a cow in heat. Handling facilities should be painted in one color
only, since all species of livestock are likely to balk at a sudden change in color or
texture. All livestock tend to refuse to walk over a drain, grate, hose, puddle,
shadow, or any change in flooring texture or surface. All these factors need to be
considered when evaluating or planning livestock handling facilities. To reduce the
risk of falls, provide slip-resistant footing for workers and livestock with
roughened concrete ramp and floor surfaces.
UNDERSTAND ANIMAL BEHAVIOR
• Animals experience hunger, thirst, fear, sickness, injury and strong maternal
instincts. They also develop individual behavior patterns such as kicking or biting.
The handler should be aware of these behaviors and take necessary safety
precautions, include using personal protective equipment.
• Beef, swine and dairy cattle are generally colorblind and have poor depth
perception. This results in an extreme sensitivity to contrasts, which may cause an
animal to balk at shadows or rapid changes from light to dark. Sheep are also
considered colorblind, but do have good depth perception. Instead, Sheep have
difficulty picking out small details, such as the open space created by a partially
opened gate.
• Horses and Mules commonly kick toward their hindquarters, while cow’s kick
forward and out to the side. Cows also have a tendency to kick toward a side with
pain from inflammation or injuries. For example, if a dairy cow is suffering from
mastitis in one quarter, consider approaching her from the side of the non-affected
udder.
• Livestock with young exhibit a maternal instinct. They are usually more defensive
and difficult to handle. When possible, let the young stay as close to the adult as
possible when handling. Most animals have a strong territorial instinct and develop
a very distinctive, comfortable attachment to areas such as pastures and buildings,
water troughs, worn paths and feed bunks. Forcible removal from these areas can
cause animals to react unexpectedly. Considering these animal traits, it is easy to
understand why animals often hesitate when going through unfamiliar gates, barn
doors, and handling and loading chutes. Similar problems occur when animals are
moved away from feed, separated from the herd or approached by an unfamiliar
person.
• Moving or flapping objects can also disrupt handling. A cloth or coat swinging in
the wind or turning fan blades can cause animals to balk. Movement at the end of a
chute can cause them to refuse to be herded.
• Yelling should be kept to a minimum when working with livestock to enable the
animal to feel secure.
• Be cautious around animals that are blind or deaf on one side. They favor that
side and can suddenly swing around to investigate disturbances. If standing too
close, a person could easily be knocked down and trampled.
• Animals respond to the way they are treated and draw upon past experiences
when reacting to a situation. For example, animals that are chased, slapped, kicked,
hit or frightened when young will naturally fear being approached.
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
• Personal Protective Equipment appropriate to the work situation should be worn.
This could include safety glasses, gloves, long trousers, steel-toed shoes or boots,
shin guards and a hard hat. It is important to wear the proper footwear when
around livestock. Footwear that supplies the proper foot support and protection is
essential. For instance, one misplaced hoof of a 1500-pound cow can easily break
the bones of the human foot encased in a pair of running shoes.
• Wear rubber gloves when working with sick and injured animals as well as other
protective clothing for protection. Practice personal hygiene by washing your
hands and face after handling animals.
CONTROLLING DISEASES
Handlers should also be concerned with zoonotic diseases, which are illnesses that
can be transmitted between humans and animals. Leptospirosis, rabies, brucellosis,
salmonellosis and ringworm are especially important.
• To reduce exposure to disease, use basic hygiene and sanitation practices, which
include prompt treating or disposal of infected animals, adequate disposal of
infected tissues, proper cleaning of contaminated sites, and proper use of personal
protective equipment.
ANIMAL APPROACH
The proper approach to a large animal is critical to working with them safely.
Most large animals can see at wide angles around them, but there is a blind spot
directly behind their hindquarters beyond which they cannot see.
• Any movement in this “blind spot” will make the animal uneasy and nervous.
• The safest approach is to “announce” your approach through a touch to their
front or side. (See figure 1)
• Most large animals will kick in an arch beginning toward the front and moving
toward the back. Avoid this kicking region when approaching the animal.
(See figure 2)
• A frightened cow or horse will plow right over you. It is safer to use proper
handling facilities made specially for separating large animals. Most animals will be
more cooperative in moving through a chute that has minimal distractions.
• When you are inside a handling facility or milking lane, always leave yourself a
way to get out if it becomes necessary. Try to avoid entering a small area enclosed
with large animals unless it is equipped with a man-gate that you can get to easily.
Never prod animals if they have no place to go.
HOUSEKEEPING
• Keeping your work area clean and free of debris will help provide a safe working
environment. Check for and eliminate any sharp corners or protrusions in walkways.
Check to ensure that all latches and levers can’t fly open easily. Clean concrete
ramps and floors regularly to prevent slips and trips. Keep pitchforks and other
sharp tools stored properly out of walkways.
CATTLE
• Dairy cows may look contented in the pasture, but they are generally more
nervous than other animals. Creatures of habit, they are easily startled, especially
by strange noises and persons.
• Always announce your presence when approaching a cow. Gently touch the animal
rather than let the first contact be a bump or shove .
• When moving cows into a constraining space such as a milking parlor stall or
squeeze chute, give them time to adjust before starting the work at hand.
• If a cow tends to kick, consider using a hobble. Don’t permit workers to talk
loudly, clatter and bang equipment around or handle cows roughly. Even gentle
cows can become dangerous when defending calves and this fact should be
impressed to children, visitors and new workers.
• Special facilities should be provided so that a bull can be fed, watered,
exercised and used for breeding without the handler coming into direct contact
with him.
• Once you have moved dairy cattle into the milking stalls, give them a moment to
adapt to the new environment before beginning your operation. Although cattle are
not apt to attack you, they can overwhelm you with their size and weight. Leave
yourself an “out” when trying to corner or work with cattle.
• Keep small children and strangers out. Beware of the area in front of the rear leg
when working with cattle. They tend to kick forward, then back. Pulling the kicking
leg forward can be used as a means of preventing a kick while working in the udder
or flank area range.
SWINE
• Your best safety aid for the jobs is a lightweight hurdle or solid panel with a
handle attached. The panel should be slightly narrower than the alleys through
which the animals are being driven.
• As with most animals, make yourself known quietly and gently to avoid startling
your hogs. A knock on the door or rattling the door handle will usually suffice.
• Don’t let small children reach through pens or fences to pet or feed hogs. Keep
unauthorized people out of pens or away from the facility altogether. Bio security
can be an important issue.
BASIC HORSE BEHAVIOR
• Horses detect danger through their vision, sense of smell and keen sense of
hearing. They have wideangle vision, but they also have blind spots directly behind
and in front of themselves. For example, when a horse lifts it's head and pricks
it's ears, it is focusing on something far away. The horse lowers it's head when
focusing on low, close objects. Keep these blind spots in mind and know where your
horse’s attention is focused so you do not scare it.
• Your horse’s ears will give you clues; they will point in the direction in which its
attention is focused. Ears that are “laid back,” or flattened backward, warn you
that the horse is getting ready to kick or bite.
• Always work with calm but deliberate movements around horses. Nervous
handlers can make horses nervous, creating unsafe situations.
APPROACHING THE HORSE
• When catching a horse, approach from its left shoulder. Move slowly but
confidently, speaking to the horse as you approach. Read the horse’s intention by
watching its body language.
• Be careful when approaching a horse that is preoccupied, such as when it's head is
in a hay manger.
• When approaching a horse in a stall, speak to the horse to get its attention and
wait until it turns and faces you before entering. Make sure the horse moves over
before you walk in beside it.
• Speak to your horse and keep your hands on it when moving around. Even if a
horse is aware of your presence, it can be startled by quick movements.
• When approaching from the rear, advance at an angle speaking to the horse,
making sure you have its attention. Touch the horse gently as you pass by its
hindquarters.
LEADING THE HORSE
• Hold the lead line with your right hand, 8 to 10 inches away from the horse’s
head, while holding the end, or bight, of the line with your left hand. Always use a
lead line so you have this “safety zone” and to prevent getting a hand caught in the
halter.
• Teach your horse to walk beside you so that you are walking at its left shoulder,
with your right elbow near the horse’s shoulder so you can anticipate its actions.
Do not let the horse “walk” you. Do not allow it to get behind you either, as it could
jump into you if spooked.
• To lead a horse through a doorway, you should step through first, then quickly
step to the side out of the horse’s way. Keep an eye on it, as some horses try to
rush through narrow spaces.
• Never wrap any piece of equipment attached to a horse around your hand, even
with small loops, as it could wrap around the hand and cause serious injury.
• After you remove the halter, make the horse stand quietly for several seconds
before letting it go completely. This will help prevent the horse from developing a
habit of bolting away and kicking at you in the process.
• Some horses can become sour and begin nipping at you if they anticipate
discomfort during grooming. Do not hurry the grooming procedure, especially
with a young or spooky horse. Stay near the horse and keep a hand on it at all times
so you can anticipate its movements.
• Do not climb over or under the lead line of a tied horse. The horse may pull back
and cause you to trip over the line, and you will have no quick escape should the
horse lunge forward, paw or try to bite. Never walk under the belly of any horse.
SHEEP
• A common accident involving sheep is being butted by a ram. Ewes will also
protect their young and should be handled carefully. A sheep can be immobilized
for safe handling by sitting it up on its rump on the ground.
feeling of being safe in their presence may leave you off guard. Injuries usually
occur when the victim does not expect it and all animals should be considered
unpredictable. A lack of knowledge of animal behavior could put a handler into
dangerous situations. Thousands of animal related injuries occur each year, some
even resulting in death. Don’t overlook the importance of safety around livestock,
particularly with inexperienced employees and family members.
Some of the most common injuries include being stepped on by large animals, being
knocked down , kicked, thrown while riding, or pinned between the animal and a
hard surface. Many injuries also occur each year from bites.
FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT
What can you do to prevent animal injuries? Proper equipment and handling
facilities for your type of operation are a must. Larger animals, in particular need
equipment that is able to restrain them for general maintenance or health care.
Pens should be equipped with a man-gate or other means of escape if necessary.
Crowding animals into sorting or working chutes should be done with crowd gates,
not with drivers. Catwalks along chutes and alleys eliminate the need for working
in the alley. If the catwalk is more than 18” or so off the ground, it should be
protected by a guardrail to prevent falls.
Walking or working surfaces should be free of tripping and slipping hazards for
both animals and workers. Eliminate protrusions and sharp corners. Lighting in
handling and housing facilities should be even and diffused. Bright spots mixed with
shadows in alleys and crowding pens will often cause cattle to balk. Guard the
moving parts of a hydraulically operated squeeze chute and tilt table. Use solid
panels for moving swine.
Loading ramps and handling chutes ideally should have solid side-walls to prevent
animals from seeing outside distractions with their wide-angle vision. Blocking
vision will also help stop escape attempts.
The sense of smell is extremely important to animals, especially between females
and newborns. Often animals react to odors we do not detect. For example, sheep
may be lured by the smell of freshly mown hay or a bull may become aggressive
when he detects a cow in heat. Handling facilities should be painted in one color
only, since all species of livestock are likely to balk at a sudden change in color or
texture. All livestock tend to refuse to walk over a drain, grate, hose, puddle,
shadow, or any change in flooring texture or surface. All these factors need to be
considered when evaluating or planning livestock handling facilities. To reduce the
risk of falls, provide slip-resistant footing for workers and livestock with
roughened concrete ramp and floor surfaces.
UNDERSTAND ANIMAL BEHAVIOR
• Animals experience hunger, thirst, fear, sickness, injury and strong maternal
instincts. They also develop individual behavior patterns such as kicking or biting.
The handler should be aware of these behaviors and take necessary safety
precautions, include using personal protective equipment.
• Beef, swine and dairy cattle are generally colorblind and have poor depth
perception. This results in an extreme sensitivity to contrasts, which may cause an
animal to balk at shadows or rapid changes from light to dark. Sheep are also
considered colorblind, but do have good depth perception. Instead, Sheep have
difficulty picking out small details, such as the open space created by a partially
opened gate.
• Horses and Mules commonly kick toward their hindquarters, while cow’s kick
forward and out to the side. Cows also have a tendency to kick toward a side with
pain from inflammation or injuries. For example, if a dairy cow is suffering from
mastitis in one quarter, consider approaching her from the side of the non-affected
udder.
• Livestock with young exhibit a maternal instinct. They are usually more defensive
and difficult to handle. When possible, let the young stay as close to the adult as
possible when handling. Most animals have a strong territorial instinct and develop
a very distinctive, comfortable attachment to areas such as pastures and buildings,
water troughs, worn paths and feed bunks. Forcible removal from these areas can
cause animals to react unexpectedly. Considering these animal traits, it is easy to
understand why animals often hesitate when going through unfamiliar gates, barn
doors, and handling and loading chutes. Similar problems occur when animals are
moved away from feed, separated from the herd or approached by an unfamiliar
person.
• Moving or flapping objects can also disrupt handling. A cloth or coat swinging in
the wind or turning fan blades can cause animals to balk. Movement at the end of a
chute can cause them to refuse to be herded.
• Yelling should be kept to a minimum when working with livestock to enable the
animal to feel secure.
• Be cautious around animals that are blind or deaf on one side. They favor that
side and can suddenly swing around to investigate disturbances. If standing too
close, a person could easily be knocked down and trampled.
• Animals respond to the way they are treated and draw upon past experiences
when reacting to a situation. For example, animals that are chased, slapped, kicked,
hit or frightened when young will naturally fear being approached.
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
• Personal Protective Equipment appropriate to the work situation should be worn.
This could include safety glasses, gloves, long trousers, steel-toed shoes or boots,
shin guards and a hard hat. It is important to wear the proper footwear when
around livestock. Footwear that supplies the proper foot support and protection is
essential. For instance, one misplaced hoof of a 1500-pound cow can easily break
the bones of the human foot encased in a pair of running shoes.
• Wear rubber gloves when working with sick and injured animals as well as other
protective clothing for protection. Practice personal hygiene by washing your
hands and face after handling animals.
CONTROLLING DISEASES
Handlers should also be concerned with zoonotic diseases, which are illnesses that
can be transmitted between humans and animals. Leptospirosis, rabies, brucellosis,
salmonellosis and ringworm are especially important.
• To reduce exposure to disease, use basic hygiene and sanitation practices, which
include prompt treating or disposal of infected animals, adequate disposal of
infected tissues, proper cleaning of contaminated sites, and proper use of personal
protective equipment.
ANIMAL APPROACH
The proper approach to a large animal is critical to working with them safely.
Most large animals can see at wide angles around them, but there is a blind spot
directly behind their hindquarters beyond which they cannot see.
• Any movement in this “blind spot” will make the animal uneasy and nervous.
• The safest approach is to “announce” your approach through a touch to their
front or side. (See figure 1)
• Most large animals will kick in an arch beginning toward the front and moving
toward the back. Avoid this kicking region when approaching the animal.
(See figure 2)
• A frightened cow or horse will plow right over you. It is safer to use proper
handling facilities made specially for separating large animals. Most animals will be
more cooperative in moving through a chute that has minimal distractions.
• When you are inside a handling facility or milking lane, always leave yourself a
way to get out if it becomes necessary. Try to avoid entering a small area enclosed
with large animals unless it is equipped with a man-gate that you can get to easily.
Never prod animals if they have no place to go.
HOUSEKEEPING
• Keeping your work area clean and free of debris will help provide a safe working
environment. Check for and eliminate any sharp corners or protrusions in walkways.
Check to ensure that all latches and levers can’t fly open easily. Clean concrete
ramps and floors regularly to prevent slips and trips. Keep pitchforks and other
sharp tools stored properly out of walkways.
CATTLE
• Dairy cows may look contented in the pasture, but they are generally more
nervous than other animals. Creatures of habit, they are easily startled, especially
by strange noises and persons.
• Always announce your presence when approaching a cow. Gently touch the animal
rather than let the first contact be a bump or shove .
• When moving cows into a constraining space such as a milking parlor stall or
squeeze chute, give them time to adjust before starting the work at hand.
• If a cow tends to kick, consider using a hobble. Don’t permit workers to talk
loudly, clatter and bang equipment around or handle cows roughly. Even gentle
cows can become dangerous when defending calves and this fact should be
impressed to children, visitors and new workers.
• Special facilities should be provided so that a bull can be fed, watered,
exercised and used for breeding without the handler coming into direct contact
with him.
• Once you have moved dairy cattle into the milking stalls, give them a moment to
adapt to the new environment before beginning your operation. Although cattle are
not apt to attack you, they can overwhelm you with their size and weight. Leave
yourself an “out” when trying to corner or work with cattle.
• Keep small children and strangers out. Beware of the area in front of the rear leg
when working with cattle. They tend to kick forward, then back. Pulling the kicking
leg forward can be used as a means of preventing a kick while working in the udder
or flank area range.
SWINE
• Your best safety aid for the jobs is a lightweight hurdle or solid panel with a
handle attached. The panel should be slightly narrower than the alleys through
which the animals are being driven.
• As with most animals, make yourself known quietly and gently to avoid startling
your hogs. A knock on the door or rattling the door handle will usually suffice.
• Don’t let small children reach through pens or fences to pet or feed hogs. Keep
unauthorized people out of pens or away from the facility altogether. Bio security
can be an important issue.
BASIC HORSE BEHAVIOR
• Horses detect danger through their vision, sense of smell and keen sense of
hearing. They have wideangle vision, but they also have blind spots directly behind
and in front of themselves. For example, when a horse lifts it's head and pricks
it's ears, it is focusing on something far away. The horse lowers it's head when
focusing on low, close objects. Keep these blind spots in mind and know where your
horse’s attention is focused so you do not scare it.
• Your horse’s ears will give you clues; they will point in the direction in which its
attention is focused. Ears that are “laid back,” or flattened backward, warn you
that the horse is getting ready to kick or bite.
• Always work with calm but deliberate movements around horses. Nervous
handlers can make horses nervous, creating unsafe situations.
APPROACHING THE HORSE
• When catching a horse, approach from its left shoulder. Move slowly but
confidently, speaking to the horse as you approach. Read the horse’s intention by
watching its body language.
• Be careful when approaching a horse that is preoccupied, such as when it's head is
in a hay manger.
• When approaching a horse in a stall, speak to the horse to get its attention and
wait until it turns and faces you before entering. Make sure the horse moves over
before you walk in beside it.
• Speak to your horse and keep your hands on it when moving around. Even if a
horse is aware of your presence, it can be startled by quick movements.
• When approaching from the rear, advance at an angle speaking to the horse,
making sure you have its attention. Touch the horse gently as you pass by its
hindquarters.
LEADING THE HORSE
• Hold the lead line with your right hand, 8 to 10 inches away from the horse’s
head, while holding the end, or bight, of the line with your left hand. Always use a
lead line so you have this “safety zone” and to prevent getting a hand caught in the
halter.
• Teach your horse to walk beside you so that you are walking at its left shoulder,
with your right elbow near the horse’s shoulder so you can anticipate its actions.
Do not let the horse “walk” you. Do not allow it to get behind you either, as it could
jump into you if spooked.
• To lead a horse through a doorway, you should step through first, then quickly
step to the side out of the horse’s way. Keep an eye on it, as some horses try to
rush through narrow spaces.
• Never wrap any piece of equipment attached to a horse around your hand, even
with small loops, as it could wrap around the hand and cause serious injury.
• After you remove the halter, make the horse stand quietly for several seconds
before letting it go completely. This will help prevent the horse from developing a
habit of bolting away and kicking at you in the process.
• Some horses can become sour and begin nipping at you if they anticipate
discomfort during grooming. Do not hurry the grooming procedure, especially
with a young or spooky horse. Stay near the horse and keep a hand on it at all times
so you can anticipate its movements.
• Do not climb over or under the lead line of a tied horse. The horse may pull back
and cause you to trip over the line, and you will have no quick escape should the
horse lunge forward, paw or try to bite. Never walk under the belly of any horse.
SHEEP
• A common accident involving sheep is being butted by a ram. Ewes will also
protect their young and should be handled carefully. A sheep can be immobilized
for safe handling by sitting it up on its rump on the ground.
| The information and recommendations contained in this article are believed to be reliable and representative of contemporary expert opinion on the subject material. We do not guarantee absolute accuracy or sufficiency of subject material, nor can it accept responsibility for health and safety recommendations that may have been omitted due to particular circumstances. |
| Two important books for every homestead. They provide valuable information on raising and caring for livestock (and much more!) |
• Accidents with beef cattle tend to occur
while the victim is handling the livestock. Beef
cattle are known for an even disposition, but
can be startled, and inflict injury to anyone in
their way. Groups of animals are easy to
“spook.” Bovines can see nearly 360 degrees
without moving their heads. Therefore, a quick
movement behind is just as apt to “set them
off” as a frontal one.
while the victim is handling the livestock. Beef
cattle are known for an even disposition, but
can be startled, and inflict injury to anyone in
their way. Groups of animals are easy to
“spook.” Bovines can see nearly 360 degrees
without moving their heads. Therefore, a quick
movement behind is just as apt to “set them
off” as a frontal one.
Sight reduction also lowers
stress levels, thus having a
calming effect on the animal.
Pigs, sheep, and cattle have a
tendency to move from a dimly lit
area to a more brightly-lit area,
provided the light does not hit
them directly in the eyes. A
spotlight directed on the ramp
will often help keep the animals
moving. Loud, abrupt noises, such
stress levels, thus having a
calming effect on the animal.
Pigs, sheep, and cattle have a
tendency to move from a dimly lit
area to a more brightly-lit area,
provided the light does not hit
them directly in the eyes. A
spotlight directed on the ramp
will often help keep the animals
moving. Loud, abrupt noises, such
as the sound of banging metal can cause distress in livestock. You may wish to
install rubber bumpers on gates and squeeze chutes to reduce noises.
install rubber bumpers on gates and squeeze chutes to reduce noises.
• Though hogs are not normally aggressive animals,
they can become dangerous animals if threatened,
especially a sow protecting her young.
• The best method by which to move hogs is by
guiding them with gates and/or panels.
they can become dangerous animals if threatened,
especially a sow protecting her young.
• The best method by which to move hogs is by
guiding them with gates and/or panels.
• Veterinary work and treatment of pigs should be done only when they are
separated from the sow, or when she is restrained in the crate or a separate pen.
separated from the sow, or when she is restrained in the crate or a separate pen.
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