Hello, my name is Doug Mosebar Since, well, as far back as I can remember,
I've been working on farms. I started on our family farm in Yakima, Washington
and now I farm hay, squash, flowers, pumpkins and raise cattle in Santa Ynez.
Many people think,incorrectly, that farming is done by large corporations.
Here in California, most farms are run by dedicated families facing tremendous challenges.
But, whether you have one employee or hundreds, all good farming businesses share one vital
characteristic-their top priority is the health and wellbeing of
their people. This safety video is an excellent tool in
the ongoing effort to make our work places safer.
But, it is only a tool. I hope it will lead you to discuss safety, and how to improve
the work practices at your Dairy. You need to be an active participant. Working
together, we can achieve success in our safety efforts,
so we can always provide for our families and continue working in this great industry.
For over fifty years, California has been leading the nation in
agricultural production.
Milk and cream, with a value of 4.5 billion
dollars per year top the list of over 250 commodities. California's
dairy industry produces nearly 38 billion pounds of milk a year from
approximately 1.8 million dairy cows! Like the state's population,
The industry continues to grow and change creating new safety
challenges. We appreciate your interest in learning how to prevent
injuries in today's dynamic dairy farms.
Accident records show that the main injury trends involve
contact with objects and equipment, overexertion and strains, slips and
falls. These three injury trends are the main focus of this video
program. But, we will show a variety of other safety practices
including those which are most important for every milker and
herder.
Time is the critical difference in Dairy farms. Since,
most Dairy farms implement a continuous seven day, twenty four
hour work schedule, it is critical That you follow the company's
safety procedures,
because what you do will keep you safe and often has
a direct impact on the workers around you. What you do affects
everyone at the dairy and ultimately the success of the farm.
"The Dangers in working in a dairy are handling the animals and handling the equipment and
the machinery. Especially with animals, because animals are
unpredictable. We treat animals well. We try to keep them in good shape and to treat
them as gently and as well as we can. But there are days in which the animals are
more frightened. Like people, there are good days and bad days.
They can kick or hit someone. We haven't had an accident with the animals and we hope that
doesn't happen either."
"It's very important to treat the animals well, because the animals' daily behavior
depends on it. Besides, animals that are treated well will
last longer in the dairy. We have observed and confirmed this scientifically,
they will also breed better and they will produce more milk."
The majority of dairy injuries occur while handling or moving the
cows, such as from their pen to the milk parlor and back, and during
the milking process. In fact, one second of inattention can result in
severe injuries as a result of being stepped on or kicked by a
normally docile cow.
Injuries from cows are primarily from kicks,
being shoved or pinned into a wall or gate, or being stepped on by an animal.
To prevent injuries, learn all that you can about each animal's
temperament, habits, and handling characteristics. Also, understand
that an animal's actions And behavior need to be treated as
unpredictable at all times.
Have an escape route in case an animal gets out of hand.
Escape routes should include passthroughs and mangates and you
should have a planned way out when in milking lanes, alleyways or any
location when dealing directly with an animal.
When approaching an animal, An employee should position
themselves lateral to the cow and ahead or behind its midpoint. To
move the cow forward stand just behind the midpoint, and to move it
backward, stand just in front of it. Notice that you should stay
well clear of the cows kick zone when moving them.
Cows don't bite or kick with their front legs,
so you really only need to be concerned with their hind legs and
blind area. If you have to stand next to the hind legs, stand as
close to the leg as possible since the cow will usually push you
instead of kicking, reducing the chances of a serious injury.
"We're going to move this cow. We should not approach it from behind, where the animal
can not see. The way in which it should be approached is
from the side, or from the front. We want to tell her in what direction she is going
to move. If I want to continue walking her, I go back
and the animal is going to begin to walk again, wherever I want it to go.
One thing we can do safely is let it know where we want it to go, to the right..
Or if we want to move it to the other side, we simply stand in front of her and let her
know where we want it to go.
The cow cannot see us on this side.
So, the animal does not where we are. It's
an unsafe way of approaching the animal, because it can be frightened by us at any time,
and it can kick us. So, we simply approach the cow from one side and move the animal
where we want it to go."
Fences, gates and levers can also cause injuries while herding
animals. All should be in good working order to properly herd the cows and protect the
worker at the same time. Whenever possible, self locking stanchions
should be used for both young stock and mature
animals when performing the following activities;
dehorning, teat-removal, castrating,
footrimming, injections, and artificial insemination.
Also, be aware that cows with newborn calves
can be very aggressive. Do not get between the calf and its mother.
The mother should be restrained whenever possible before removing
the calf.
There should always be a fence between the handler and the
bull, but if a handler must enter into the pen, escape routes should
include a pass-through gate and room at the bottom of the fence to
roll under if necessary. Bulls are the most unpredictable and should
never be trusted. Never tease a bull or turn your back on them.
If a bull demonstrates aggressive behavior, notify a supervisor so it
can be removed from the milking cows.
The milking parlor is the center of activity at the dairy.
The correct handling of the cows into the milk parlor, during the milking process,
and the return to their pen, will ensure employee safety and the wellbeing
of the animals. Let's talk about milking parlor safety.
"When you start to working with cows you have to be prepared not to frighten them because
they can kick. When you are walking, you have to be very
careful not to slip because the floor is wet and you can fall and hurt yourself.
And another thing is, as you walk among the cows, they can bunch together and they can
surprise you from behind or in front. If you did not see them behind you. So, you
should always be alert from all sides. Look all around you as you walk."
Even though the milking process should be routine for the cows, the
animal can still be unpredictable, sometimes due to an illness or
injury that the handler cannot detect.
If an animal becomes aggressive or hard to control,
notify your supervisor. Touch the udder and look for skin injury or
swelling on the teats before attaching milking equipment. This
way, you can take the appropriate treatment actions and avoid
startling the cow.
If you work in a flat milking parlor, there will be
frequent bending and stooping required during the milking
process.
Stand as close to the animal as possible and use your shoulder to rest
on the hind leg as you attach the milking units. This will give the milker some stability
and protection from a kick, while also making the cow aware of your presence.
In elevated parlors, do not get your head and hands between the
cow and stalls. The cows can easily step on your fingers while working
near udders when your in the milking pit. Noise in the milk parlor
should be kept to a minimum. Cows will behave calmly and will be less
likely to get startled if employees avoid talking loudly or doing
anything that causes loud noises or sudden movements.
Also, avoid banging equipment or treating an
animal roughly. Always handle the cows deliberately, confidently and
calmly. Always remember that cows do best with repetition. Keep your
actions routine as much as possible.
Another major concern in all milk parlors is the importance of proper
housekeeping and wearing the correct personal protective
equipment also referred to as PPE.
Between and during milkings it is necessary to wash down the parlor
thoroughly. Slips and falls are a real danger during this procedure
due to the wet floors. When cleaning the
parlors be sure to clean and remove manure from alleyways and stairs.
At all times while you are working in the parlor you should wear the
right personal protective equipment. Rubber boots should be
worn at all times. Rubber mats placed in the milk parlor will also reduce slippage and
provide comfort for the milkers. Check for loose mats before your shift as
they can cause an additional slip and fall hazard.
After handling animals, you should thoroughly wash your hands and face.
When handling a sick animal it is also critical to
wear PPE to protect yourself from the spread of any disease that the
animal may have.
Also, if you are using chemicals you should wear gloves
and any other special equipment required for the job. Store
chemicals in a safe place and make sure the chemicals are properly
labeled and the containers free of leaks. Before using any chemical, read and
understand the special instructions specified on the label.
Also, proper hygiene is extremely important after handling chemicals.