Livestock Safety

CBS Roscommon

Types of accidents involving livestock

Physical Accidents

Kicked

Bitten

Knocked over

Charged

Crushed

Zoonotic Diseases

Zoonotic Diseases

Zoonotic Diseases

Zoonotic diseases are diseases that can be transmitted between

humans and animals

They can be caused by viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi.

Zoonotic Disease: Brucellosis

Brucellosis is a bacterial disease.

In cattle this infection causes abortion and infertility.

Symptoms in humans

Symptoms are variable and non-specific

Chills, sweats, fatigue and weakness

Zoonotic Disease: Brucellosis

Prevention
Observing animals

Legal requirement that farmers must notify their local District Veterinary
Office if they suspect that an animal has aborted.

Isolation of animal and disposal of any infected animals

Make sure any milk for human consumption is pasteurised;

Take care when handling and disposing of placenta, discharges and

foetus from an aborted animals

Disinfect contaminated areas

Zoonotic diseases: Ecoli 0157

E.coli O157 are bacteria that are found in the gut of some animals.
Cattle are the main source

Humans can be infected by contact with animals and their dung or

droppings.

Symptoms

Severe diarrhoea may develop especially in children under five

Zoonotic diseases: Ecoli 0157

Preventing infection

Keep animals with diarrhoea away from other animals and visitors

Good farmyard Hygiene

Ensure hand-washing facilities are available and clean

Work clothes should be left at the workplace

Zoonotic Disease: Leptosporosis

Leptospirosis

is a bacterial infection.

Humans can becomes infected through direct or indirect contact with

infected animal urine or contaminated milk.

The most common host is cattle resulting in the milder form of the disease,
the more severe form is associated with rats.

The bacteria can enter through cuts, the eyes, nose or mouth.

Symptoms

Range

from a mild influenza-like illness to meningitis or kidney failure.

In those cases where jaundice occurs, the illness is known as Weils disease.

Zoonotic Disease: Leptosporosis

Prevention

Segregate infected animals

Recognise potentially contaminated waters and soil

Check the status of your cattle by doing a blood test, antibiotic

treatment and vaccination should be administered to infected animals

Control rodents

Ensure there is clean hand-washing facilities

Zoonotic disease: Orf

Orf is caused by a virus

It is transmitted to humans by direct contact with infected sheep and

goats

Symptoms

Skin lesion on the hands, arms or face and can be itchy and painful.

Secondary bacterial infection

Zoonotic disease: Orf

Prevention

Good farmyard hygiene

Vaccination

Ensure hand-washing facilities are available and clean

Wash any known exposed area with soap and water

Zoonotic Disease: Ringworm

Ringworm is caused by a fungal infection

The fungal spores enter the skin through cuts and abrasions.

Symptoms

Flat ring shape skin lesion

Zoonotic Disease: Ringworm

Prevention

Good farm hygiene

Treat infected animals

Ensure good handwashing facilities

Physical Injuries

Factors that can cause aggressiveness

Genetics

Past experiences

Cattle that have been roughly handled in the past can be more dangerous

Separation from their normal herd

Being cornered, isolated, confined in a crush or being milked for the first
time.

Cows on-heat or after calving are generally unpredictable.

Bulls that see you as his competitor.

Avoiding problems

Cull aggressive animals

Breed out aggressive behaviour

Avoid breeding from a dangerous bull

Dont use the offspring of temperamental or dangerous

cattle as herd replacements

Avoiding problems

Know the dangers associated with the animals sex

Bulls
Temperament

changes from playful aggression as a yearling to

defensive, territorial aggression as a 2-3 year old.

All

bulls should be ringed in the nose when 10 months old

At

least two people should be available when handling a bull.

Avoiding problems

Know the dangers associated with the animals sex

Cows
Cows

and heifers are more unpredictable during stressful

periods such as calving, weaning and at their first milking.

Suckler

cows which are handled less frequently generally are a

greater risk than dairy cows.

Avoiding problems

Know how cattle respond

The best place for the stock handler to work is on the edge of the flight zone

To make the animal move forward the handler moves to A just inside the flight
zone.

By moving back to B, just outside the flight zone boundary, the handler
encourages the animal to stop again.

Avoiding problems

Know how cattle respond

The Point of Balance is at the animals shoulders

To encourage the animals to move forward the handler must be behind the point of
balance.

Avoiding problems

Know the dangers associated with the animals age

Young cattle lack experience and until a routine is developed can be more
unpredictable. The more they are handled then the more accustomed they become
to being handled.

Old cattle can get very stubborn, meaning they dont like changes in routine.

Know the dangers with the animals breed

Dairy breeds are generally very docile.

Jersey bulls are highly territorial and are very dangerous.

The Limousin was known as being more flighty than other continental breeds but
some of this effect has been successfully bred out.

Avoiding problems

Know how to recognise behaviours

Seriously distressed cattle often bellow loudly

The head position tells just how contented they feel

1 Neutral position

2 Slightly antagonistic position

3 Highly antagonistic position

4 Confident approach

5 Submissive approach

6 Alert before flight position

Avoiding problems

Know how to recognise behaviours

The tail position also says much about their state of arousal:

1 Grazing or walking

2 Cold, ill or frightened

3 Threatening, curiosity or sexual excitement

4 Galloping

5 Kicking or playing

Handling and Housing Facilities

Keep the yard clean and tidy

Avoid having slippery surfaces

Power wash surfaces to increase grip

Groove concrete

Ensure yards are a suitable size and have a good layout

A good yard should have a collecting pen, race, forcing pen, raised
catwalk alongside the race, crush, skulling gate and dispersal pen

The layout should always ensure there is always an escape route for the
handler.

The yard area must be larger by about 50% than the area occupied by the
cattle.

Handling and Housing Facilities

Handling and Housing Facilities

Adequate calving area

The calving area should provide adequate space, be tidy and well-bedded with
clean dry straw, free of obstructions with good lighting.

Well designed calving pens and gates minimise the direct physical contact between
the cow/heifer and the farmer.

Other desirable features would include areas to perform Caesarean sections and for
the suckling of newborn calves.

Calving jacks if properly used can reduce the risk of back injuries.

Handling and Housing Facilities

Good wintering housing

Adequate space

Be well-bedded

Free of ground obstructions

Strong enough to contain the animal

Have access to a race and crush

Have sufficient lighting

Be well ventilated

Cattle of broadly similar age and size should be grouped together

Handling and Housing Facilities

Bull Housing

The bull pen should be located so

that the bull(s) can see other
cattle and daily farm activity in
the farmyard.

The structure must be strong and

high enough to stop them
escaping.

The pen should allow the bull to

be fed and watered from outside
the pen

Avoid the following to stay safe

Disbud calves early to prevent horn growth.

Watch for warning signs of animal aggressiveness, especially bulls and

newly calved cows.

Cull difficult cattle as soon as possible.

Use well designed facilities.

Regularly check and maintain facilities such as the crush, gate latches
and fences.

Keep ground surfaces clean, as far as possible.

Only have a well trained quiet dog when moving cattle

Avoid the following to stay safe

Work out an escape route in advance of working with cattle.

Know and understand the basics of cattle behaviour.

Maximise the use of Artificial Insemination to reduce the number of

bulls required.

Use bulls that produce docile offspring.

Be extra careful around cows with new born calves.

Try to keep cattle calm when handling them.

Use a stick to assist in directing cattle.