Livestock are among the leading causes of agricultural injuries. The Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center (UMASH) addresses this risk with new stockmanship resources developed in conjunction with dairy specialists and industry representatives.
UMASH encourages farmers and their employees to "Be PALS" with dairy cattle:
- Be Patient
- Consider the Angle of your approach
- Think about your Location relative to the cow
- Slow the speed of your movements
A fact sheet, posters and five-part video series are intended for farmers, ranchers, farm employees, veterinarians, human resources training staff and those involved with worker health and safety training/education.
The videos, available in English and Spanish, demonstrate stockmanship principles when working with dairy cattle.
Topics include:
- How a Cow Uses Her Senses
- Working with the Pressure Zone
- Moving Cows More Effectively
- Making the Milking Parlor a Happy Place
"Stockmanship uses our knowledge of the behavior of cows to optimize cow flow, cow well-being and milk production, and to reduce the risk for worker injuries," said Jeff Bender, DVM, Co-Director of the Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center (UMASH).
The Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center (UMASH) is a multidisciplinary collaboration of five leading research and health care institutions. The animal handling resources are only one example of how we address existing and emerging occupational health and safety issues in agriculture. Visit the website at www.umash.umn.edu.
3.4.2016
