Farm Safety Camp Manual

Livestock Safety

Goal
Prevent animal related injuries to youth.

Objectives
Campers will:

1. Understand the potential dangers associated with livestock.
   
2. List at least two items of proper dress when working with animals.
   
3. Describe some aspects of animal behavior.
   
4. Identify at least two procedures for the safe handling of livestock.

Topics
Introduction
Proper Dress
Animal Behavior
General Rules

Time
30-45 minutes

Materials
A gentle, halter broken calf such as a 4-H or FFA project
A gentle horse
Leather gloves
Leather work boots (preferable steel-toed)
Ten foot protective barrier between campers and live animals

Introduction
Begin by asking:

who lives on a farm?
what type of animals they raise?
who shows livestock?
who visits a friend's or relative's farm? (Most have at least visited a farm).

Points to make:

• When you are frequently exposed to livestock, it's easy to take animals for granted - to get comfortable around them.
  
• Even though livestock may be domesticated (or tame) and even appear to be docile (gentle), it's important to respect them for their size and natural instincts. Visitors/campers may make animals nervous or excited.

If possible tell a true story of someone who was hurt by livestock. Be sure to include information on how to PREVENT the same type injury from occurring again.

Proper Dress
Leather work boots (steel toe preferred)

Boots protect your feet. Even a "small animal weighing 150 lbs. can hurt you. A 1000 lb. cow could cause more serious injuries by stepping on unprotected feet.

Leather gloves
Protects hands from blisters, rope burns or injury caused by livestock handling equipment.

Rubber gloves (This information is for adults if present in the class)
Wear when working with sick or injured animals. Skin conditions (such as ring worm or "club lamb fungus") or other diseases may be transmitted to humans.

Hearing Protection
Wear in noisy facilities and where pigs/hogs are housed.

Animal Behavior

• Different species of livestock behave differently
  
• Individual animals have individual personalities.
  
• People who are "good with animals" learn to think like the animal they are working with (you can't herd sheep like cattle).
  
• Different species don't see things the same, i.e. depth perception is not very good which causes animals to often balk, or be jumpy in unfamiliar surroundings.
  

Cattle
Nearly a 360 degree field of vision.
Don't make quick, sudden movements behind them.
Demonstrate: Instructor will stand directly behind calf and let students watch reaction - calf will turn, lead, or step to one side to get a view of what's behind. Watch animal's eyes, ears, tail.

-These are things to notice that may indicate what an animal is "thinking."
-A fast swishing tail indicates nervousness.
-Notice how ears, like radar, point in different directions to pick up on sounds around them.

In both of the following instances, it is BEST for the child to stay away from the pen.

Male Animals (bulls, rams, boars)
Often move more aggressively than a female or castrated male (steer, wether, barrows)
Never enter pen with male livestock without an adult.
New Mothers
Females are often very protective of their young, even if otherwise gentle.
Usually these females will "settle down" after their young are several weeks old.
Never enter a pasture that has newborn livestock.

Small Children

Livestock usually are fed or handled by adults and get used to the adults who feed them.
These same animals may be aggressive toward small children.

Rules to Remember

1. Always, always let animals know you are there.
   Don't surprise them.
   Approach them using a calm voice and be slow and deliberate in movements.
2. Be aware that cows can kick outwards and backwards - approach them from the front and no further back than their shoulder.
3. Horses can kick with both feet directly behind them.
4. Respect the size of animals.
   A 1,000 lb. cow may not mean to hurt you, but just bumping into a child weighing 100 lbs. could result in injury. (Think of a Nerf ball colliding with a bowling ball).
   A large animal can bump a swinging gate that, in turn, can cause serious injury to someone standing near the gate.
5. Never tie yourself to a lead rope. When tying haltered animals, use a slip knot so that the animal can be quickly released. (Show how a slip knot works).
6. Show good and bad quality horse halters and the horse handling supplies. Cheap is not always the best.
7. Animals may be startled by noises such as grooming clippers and also by shiny, reflective jewelry.

Finally, let students ask questions and observe how animals respond to changes in sounds and movement (being careful NOT to startle animals).

Information provided by:
RICKEY JOSEY
FRANKLIN COUNTY EXTENSION AGENT
FEBRUARY, 2001

ANIMAL SAFETY QUIZ
T	F	1. It's OK to play near farm animals when there's no fence between you and the animals
T	F	2. Farm animals can become scared when you walk up behind them.
T	F	3. Teasing animals can teach them to be mean.
T	F	4. When working around livestock, it's okay to wear tennis shoes.
T	F	5. If you're leading an animal on a halter, you should tie the lead around your waist to help pull.
T	F	6. Male animals are safer than female animals
T	F	7. There are no livestock diseases that people can catch.
T	F	8. Show animals should be tied with a slip knot for quick release
T	F	9. Children should stay away from pens with bulls, boars, rams, or new mothers.
T	F	10. Swinging gates and livestock equipment can be very dangerous.

Questions developed by Rickey Josey
Franklin County Extension Agent
February, 2001
Answers: (1) F (2) T (3) T (4) F (5) F (6) F (7) F (8) T (9) T (10) T

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