Animal Safety (Part 1) (Public Service Announcement)

With winter here, demands have lightened up a bit for farmers. At least the days aren't ones of running tractors 16 hours a day getting crops in and out. But even though the majority of your equipment has been stored for the winter, your safety worries are far from over. Your livestock will still need constant attention and will always be a major safety concern.

Even though farm animals are a farmer's friend and a source of economic support, they are still responsible for many disabling injuries, causing pain and trauma and a great loss of money. While most animal accidents aren't fatal, many farm men, women, and children will be needlessly injured each year because of a lack of safety awareness among animals. Broken bones, crushed and mashed limbs, missed days of work, and unnecessary medical expenses will be the result of animal-related accidents.

The majority of mishaps are the result of people problems. The chief cause of accidents involving animals is lack of judgement or understanding due to inexperience. You should never try to move animals in a hurry or handle them when they're angry. Remember that the key to safely handling farm animals is common sense.

Next week we'll look at the good handling and housekeeping practices that can prevent most mishaps.