Farm Safety Week Concludes Focussing on Livestock Safety

Today (Friday), IFA and Teagasc are challenging farmers to think about improving livestock handling systems to make them safer and more efficient.

Teagasc in association with IFA will hold a Farm Safety Farm Walk at Kildalton College, Piltown, Co. Kilkenny (E32 YW08) commencing at 11am.

The walk will commence with a description of the world famous ‘Temple Grandin’ principles of Safe Cattle Handling and will be followed by viewing of safety and efficient cattle handling facilities.

Particular emphasis will be placed on both bull and cow-calving facilities and practices. The event will be chaired by James Murphy, IFA Kilkenny County Chair and will be led by John O’Connor, Livestock Tutor Kildalton College.

Teagasc Safety Specialist John McNamara said, “Many farmers never stop to consider why animals behave as they do and, more importantly, what this behaviour could mean to their personal safety. Working safety with livestock involves much more than being ‘careful’ around recently calved cows or cantankerous bulls. In fact, many livestock accidents are not directly related to the animals themselves but caused by improper use of equipment of poorly maintained or poorly built facilities. Animal-handling practices are often learned from watching others and from personal experiences growing up on the farm. Too often, this results in unsafe livestock handling and restraint practices.

“Thankfully, most animal incidents are not fatal but too many men, women and children are needlessly injured every year due to a lack of safety awareness. Broken bones, crushed and mashed limbs, work absences and unnecessary medical expenses are some of the results of livestock-related incidents.”

According to Joe Healy, IFA President, “Handling cattle always involves risks, the risk of being hurt physically by an animal that is frightened or has been startled and the risk of being hurt due to the misuse of equipment or equipment that is poorly maintained. Over the course of this week, we have worked with our partners to educate and inspire a drive to improve agriculture’s poor safety record. Today it’s all about animals. Livestock can be unpredictable, something that even the most experienced farmer can’t completely plan for.

“Often farmers don’t make adjustments or modify equipment to make it safer because they are in a hurry or because they think they can just ‘make do’ for economic reasons but farm safety is a lifestyle, not a slogan and ‘Because I’m in a hurry’ is not a good enough reason for poor maintenance of equipment and facilities. Safe equipment is more of an investment than an expensive luxury.”

For more information on Farm Safety Week UK & Ireland visit ifalegacystagi.wpengine.com/farm-safety or follow @IFAmedia on Twitter using the hashtag #FarmSafetyWeek