Safely Working With and Around Farm Animals

For those who work in production agriculture, there are inherent physical risks prevalent on a daily basis. In fact, agricultural occupations are consistently ranked as some of the most dangerous in industry. This is not surprising, as most farmers and ranchers consider the physical difficulties of their daily tasks as "just part of the job." A quick review of literature shows that one of the least investigated areas in agricultural safety relates to beef cattle handling.

A 1997 study conducted by the Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department at Oklahoma State University described conditions associated with 150 cattle handling injury cases on 100 Oklahoma cow-calf operations. The study showed that more than 50% of injuries in these situations were due to human error, while equipment and facilities accounted for about 25% of the perceived causes. In most cases, a better understanding of how an animal may respond to human interaction and to its immediate surroundings will help keep the worker from becoming an injury victim.

The Human Element

Human error is the primary cause of many types of accidents. These errors in judgment and action are due to a variety of reasons, but occur most often when people are tired, hurried, upset, preoccupied, or careless. Remember that human physical, psychological, and physiological factors greatly affect the occurrence of life threatening accidents. Using this information in combination with proper cattle handling techniques can reduce your risk of injury. Animal Behavior

Understanding cattle behavior can help farm and ranch workers avoid dangerous situations. Dr. Temple Grandin, Colorado State University animal behavior specialist, states that "handling practices can be less stressful to the animals and safer for the handler if one understands the behavioral characteristics of livestock." An animal's physical structure, psychological makeup, environment, and individual personality can influence behavior. An animal's senses function like those of a human; however, most animals detect and perceive their environments very differently as compared to the way humans detect and perceive the same surroundings. While cattle have poor color recognition and poor depth perception, their hearing is extremely sensitive relative to humans. Knowing these characteristics, we can better understand why cattle are often skittish or balky in unfamiliar surroundings.

Animal Vision

Cattle have panoramic vision, meaning they can see in all directions, except directly behind, without moving their head. Additionally, cattle have poor depth perception, especially when they are moving with their heads up. In order to see depth, they have to stop and put their heads down. For this reason, unfamiliar objects and shadows on the ground are the primary reasons for cattle balking and delaying the animals behind them. This is why it is important for handling and working facilities be constructed to minimize shadows. Cattle have a tendency to move toward the light. If working cattle at night, use frosted lamps that do not glare in the animal's faces. Position these lights in the area where you are moving cattle, such as a trailer or barn.

Flight Zone

Moving a group of cattle takes some knowledge and understanding of the animal's "flight zone." The flight zone is an animal's personal space. When a person penetrates the flight zone, the animal will move. Conversely, when you retreat from the flight zone, the animal will stop moving. Understanding the flight zone is the key to easy, quiet handling of your cattle. The size of an animal's flight zone depends on its fearful or docile behavior, the angle of handler's approach, and its state of excitement. Work at the edge of the of flight zone at a 45 to 60 degree angle behind the animal's shoulder. Cattle will circle away from you. The flight zone radius can range from five to over 25 feet for feedlot cattle and as far as 300 feet for range cattle. If you are within their flight zone, the animal moves away or retreats.

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 egress 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. 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 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. 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 also 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 mangate 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

Accidents with beef cattle tend to occur while the victim is handling the livestock. Beef cattle are known for an even disposition, but can 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.
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. 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.

APPROACH ANIMAL SAFELY The proper approach to large animals 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 hind quarters 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 the animal's front or side. 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. SEPARATE CATTLE SAFELY As one large cow can weigh up to 1500 lbs, it is not a good idea to try to manually separate cows using gates or boards. 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. LEAVE YOURSELF AN "OUT" 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 enclosed area with large animals unless it is equipped with a mangate that you can get to easily. BE CAREFUL AROUND SICK/HURT ANIMALS When working with sick and hurt animals be sure to protect yourself from any animal-borne diseases such as undulant fever, tetanus, rabies, etc. Wear rubber gloves and other protective clothing for protection, and practice good hygiene by washing your hands and face after handling animals. PRACTICE GOOD 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 pitch forks and other sharp tools stored properly out of walkways. MAINTAIN EVEN LIGHTING Shadows mixed with light spots inside handling facilities will increase the animal's fear and tension. Try to keep the lighting in these moving areas dispersed evenly. WORKING SAFELY WITH DAIRY CATTLE Dairy cattle are generally more nervous than other animals, so it's important to approach these animals gently to avoid startling them. Once you have moved dairy cattle into the milking stalls, give them a moment to adapt to the new environment before beginning your operation. SAFELY WORKING WITH SWINE Though hogs are not normally aggressive animals, they can become dangerous animals if threatened, especially sows protecting their young. The best method by which to move hogs is by guiding hogs combined with gates and/or panels. Announce your approach to hogs as you do with other animals. Do not walk up to them quietly and surprise them.