Safety Tutorial For Dairy Farming

1. Safety Tutorial For Dairy Farming Prepared By Mrs. Nevills Oswego County BOCES

2. Think Safety First! Small & Large Animals Tractor & PTO Safety Agricultural Laws Milk Quality Proper Clothing & Footwear Safety Equipment Milking Parlors Feed Fire Safety & Prevention Electrical Safety Doors & Gates Chemicals Air Quality & Ventilation Loud Noises Disease Prevention Communication Long Hours & Working Conditions Training Tasks For Dairy Farming

3. Dairy Farming Pre - Test Please Answer Each of The Following Questions With Either T for True or F for False... T F • The first thing you should think of is safety while on a dairy farm? • Cows are always friendly and there is never any danger while working with them? • Anybody can drive a tractor because it is as easy as riding a bicycle? • Dairy farmers are visited by milk inspectors to ensure milk quality? • A PTO on a tractor is a power take-off unit and is always a safe place to be? T F T F T F T F

4. Pre – Test Answers • The first thing you should think of is safety while on a dairy farm? True – See Slide 5 • Cows are always friendly and there is never any danger while working with them? False – See Slide 9 • Anybody can drive a tractor because it is as easy as riding a bicycle? False – See Slides 12 - 13 • Dairy farmers are visited by milk inspectors to ensure milk quality? True – See Slide 15 • A PTO on a tractor is a power take-off unit and is always a safe place to be? False – See Slide 12

5. Remember Safety 1st • Working on a dairy farm can be fun but you must always think safety 1st before you do anything because there are a lot of risks

6. Dairy Farm Safety Facts • The National Safety Council continues to list agriculture as one of the two most dangerous industries in the country. • By choosing to be involved in farming, students are more than 5 times more likely to be killed on the job than if they chose other occupations. • Being careless and going to fast contribute to most farm accidents. • Animals and tractors factor into most farm accidents.

7. Dairy Animal Terminology • Calf: A baby “bovine” that is called a heifer calf if it is a female and called a bull calf it is a male. • Calves usually weigh between 65-100 lbs. when born depending on their breed. • Heifer: A female “bovine” that hasn’t had a calf yet and therefore can not be milked yet. • Heifers usually weigh between 600-1100 lbs. depending on their age and breed.

8. Dairy Animal Terminology Con’t • Steer: A male bovine that has been neutered and primarily raised for meat. • Bull: A male bovine that when reached maturity can weigh up to 2300 lbs. or more depending on his breed and age. • Cow: A female bovine that has had a calf and can weigh any where between 900-1600 lbs. depending on her breed, age, and body condition score.

9. Dangers With Cows • Cows are big animals and they are unpredictable! • Cows are head strong and can hurt you by stepping on you, horning you, charging you, and also by kicking you. • Don’t handle cows alone always have someone with you. • Be especially careful with a cow that has just had a calf – they are extremely protective of their babies!

10. Bulls Can Be Big Bullies • Bulls are extremely big animals – they can weigh over a ton! • Bulls are unpredictable! • Bulls at ages 3 and 7-10 years old are the most aggressive and dangerous. • When bulls have high libido they are most aggressive.

11. Dairy Bulls Can Be Big Bullies Con’t • The bull is the most dangerous animal on the farm and can never be trusted! • Widespread use of A.I. has greatly diminished the number of mature bulls kept on dairy farms. • Despite the above bulls are still used to breed heifers and used for clean-up with dairy herds. • Animals are the primary source of farm-related injuries. • Bulls are a huge menace, especially when turned out to pasture with a herd of heifers.

12. Tractor Safety On The Farm • Tractors are powerful pieces of equipment that are heavy and equipped with tremendous horse power. • Tractors have PTO’s that can be very dangerous if not respected. • Tractors have lifting and towing capacity that can be abused and great dangers can result. • Tractors can be bumped out of park and run people over.

13. Tractor Safety On The Farm Con’t • Make sure your tractor is equipped with ROPS (roll over protective structures) or has a cab. • Be aware of people or animals that may be near or around the tractor. • Take a tractor safety training course before you operate a tractor on a dairy farm. Roll Over Protective Structure

14. Sharing The Road • Agricultural equipment through technology and the need to get farm work done in a narrow window of time has gotten larger in size. • When driving agricultural equipment on the road you need to follow the same rules you would if you were driving a car. • You have to remember how much bigger you are and do your best to share the road. • Always make sure your equipment is well lit, in good mechanical condition and has an SMV sign.

15. Milk Quality & Consumer Safety • Dairy farmers have standards that they have to adhere to in order to be able to ship their milk and it make it to your grocery shelf. • Milk inspectors are hired to check milk quality and assure freshness and safeness. • Milk is tested by the farmer, the milk truck driver, and the milk plant many times before it reaches the grocery shelf. • Dairy farmers are not allowed to ship milk if their herd’s somatic cell count is too high (200-250 is ideal) • Farmers are paid premiums for the better quality that their milk is and there are different classes of milk too. This decides whether the milk becomes fluid milk, ice cream, cheese or butter.

16. Appropriate Clothing • You shouldn’t wear loose or baggy clothing that could get caught on fences or machinery. • You should wear clothes made of durable materials like jean and carhartt materials. • You should wear layers of clothing so that you can take it off it you get too hot and put more layers on if you get cold!

17. Think Safety Use Safety Equipment • Protective Eyewear & Safety Glasses • Rubber Boots • Steel Toed Work Boots • Work Gloves • Respirators • Rubber Gloves • SMV Signs • California Mastitis Test • Ear Protection

18. Cow Clippers Hoof Picks Nutrition Software Dairy One Program A.I. Breeding Wheel Grinders Halters Ropes Bolus Balling Gun Milk Haulers Printouts Tail Paint Calf Bottles Milk Pails Pitch Forks Shovels Wheel Barrels Castrator Tools Dehorning Tools Forage Analysis Kit Soil Analysis Kit Tools Commonly Used

19. Dairy Farm Milking Parlors • A lot of time is spent in a milking parlor on a dairy farm depending on your herd size. • There are different types of milking parlors to best suite your herd. Some types include: parallel, herringbone, carousel, and flat barn parlors. • You need to be careful of getting kicked and swatted by the cow’s tail while you are in the milking parlor. • Milking parlors are usually equipped with rubber mats and radios for employee comfort. Carousel Parlor Parallel Parlor

20. Tractors Milk Machines Bulk Tank Sanitizing Equipment Bulk Tank Washing Machine TMR Mixer Skid Steer TMR Scales Forage Wagons Tillage Equipment Forage Harvester Tractor PTO’s Cattle Gates Freestall Milk Pump Equipment & Machinery

21. Dairy Farm Feed Safety • Feed for a dairy farm is most often grown and harvested by the farmer...this involves big equipment, chemicals, mother nature and long hours. • Feed is usually stored in bins, silos or bunks. • The feed must be harvested at the proper maturity to ensure safety to the animals eating it. • Silos are tall structures that have a lot of danger associated with them like poor ventilation, extreme heights, and the danger of catching farmer’s lung disease from dust and feed particles. • Bunks must be packed with big and heavy tractors, and there is a chance of tractor roll over when performing this task. • When harvesting the feed for the dairy farm equipment with PTO’s are used and must be respected.

22. Fire Prevention Strategies • Extension cords are not permitted for use in the barn, only in the equipment shop. • Report any strange odors or equipment malfunctions to your boss immediately. • Do not leave equipment plugged in or running unsupervised. • Be aware of the placement of the fire extinguishers throughout the barn. • Study floor plan of the barn for escape exits and plan for animal removal in case of emergency.

23. What Do You Do If There Is A Fire? • Call 911 First! • Get help don’t be in the barn alone! • Isolate the area of the fire if possible. • Shut down any equipment that you can. • Evacuate the animals if possible. • Most importantly make yourself safe. • Do not go and get your personal belongings. • Do not re-enter the barn once evacuated.

24. Electrical Safety • Always use switches to turn equipment on and off. • Do not pull on the wires, utilize the plug to push into and pull out of the outlet. • Do not overload any electrical outlets. • Report any frayed or damaged cords to your boss immediately. • Always disconnect electrical equipment when you are cleaning because water and electricity DO NOT mix! • Keep your breaker box door shut at all times.

25. Floors, Doors, and Gates • Be cautious sometimes the freestall floors are slippery, so proceed with caution. • The sliding and swinging doors throughout the barn are heavy and made to be durable, so be careful not to strain yourself closing them. In the winter months be especially careful of ice and snow build up. • Gates always need to be closed for animal safety issues.

26. Chemical Hazards • The chemicals used in cleaning the pipe lines, bulk tank, and milking parlor are extremely hazardous if not handled properly! • Do Not mix chemicals! • Assure proper ventilation when using chemicals. • Store chemicals in the designated area only. • If a chemical does not have a label - do not use it. • Be aware of the MSDS sheets in the barn office. • Remember only authorized employees who have been trained are allowed to handle the chemicals.

27. Air Quality & Ventilation • At times there will be dust in the barn if it becomes a problem report it to your boss. • The barn has been designed to have cross ventilation to make the employees and the animals comfortable. • When mixing feed or using chemicals be aware of your air quality and ventilation. • For your safety air quality and pollutant levels are checked regularly.

28. Farm Noises To Be Aware Of... • Don’t be alarmed you will hear the cows and calves belloring that is how they talk! • When you are milking the vacuum pump and fans will make some noise. • The tractors and other equipment used on the farm are very loud – make sure you use proper ear protection.

29. Diseases What You Should Know • If new cattle are bought to become part of the herd they must be isolated until they are quarantined of diseases. • Foot baths are used for the cows to walk in and out of to prevent hoof diseases. • Bio Security standards are in place on this farm, so only authorized personnel are allowed on the premises. • Humans can get ring worm from cows...be aware of this. • Always wash your boots and sterilize them on the foot mat before entering or exiting the barn. • Do not mix equipment or machines that are utilized for feed with those that are utilized for manure removal.

30. Farm Communication • You may be scratching your head thinking what does communication have to do with farm safety...but they have a huge correlation! • Make sure that your boss always communicates with you specifically what he/she wants you to do. • If you don’t understand EXACTLY what your boss wants done ask again....communication could mean life or death on the farm. • It is always a good idea to have a cell phone or a two - way radio when working on a dairy farm so that fast communication is possible.

31. Long Hours & Working Conditions • Dairy farming is 7 days a week and 365 days a year. • Dairy farming is an occupation that requires long hours in sometimes extremely hot weather and sometimes extremely cold weather. • Dairy farming is hard work.

32. Quick Dairy Farm Facts • Less than 2% of the United States population is involved in farming today and they can still feed everyone! • Milk is becoming more marketable to youngsters and they now even have milk vending machines. • Farming is a dangerous occupation, yet rewarding occupation and such a great way to be brought up!

33. Dairy Farming Post -Test Please Answer Each of The Following Questions With Either T for True or F for False... T F • You should always be thinking about safety while working on a dairy farm? • A cow is a term given to a bovine that has not had a calf yet? • A carousel is one type of milking parlor used in dairy farming? • If there is a barn fire the first thing you should do is get the animals out? • A PTO is the safest part of the tractor? • Gates are so tough that a bull could never bust through it? • Floors in a freestall can sometimes be slippery so you should use caution? • Foot baths are used in barns so that the cows keep their Nike's clean? • Less than 2% of the U.S. population is involved in farming and that is why they can’t feed everybody? • Vending machines are now selling milk in schools, airports, and cafeterias? T F T F T F T F T F T F T F T F T F

34. Post –Test Answers • You should always be thinking about safety while working on a dairy farm? True • A cow is a term given to a bovine that has not had a calf yet? False • A carousel is one type of milking parlor used in dairy farming? True • If there is a barn fire the first thing you should do is get the animals out? False • A PTO is the safest part of the tractor? False • Gates are so tough that a bull could never bust through it? False • Floors in a freestall can sometimes be slippery so you should use caution? True • Foot baths are used in barns so that the cows keep their Nike's clean? False • Less than 2% of the U.S. population is involved in farming and that is why they can’t feed everybody? False • Vending machines are now selling milk in schools, airports, and cafeterias? True

35. Any Questions? • If you have any questions please let me know... • If you think of some later you can contact me by... • Email: knevills@oswegoboces.org • Phone: (315) 963 – 8055

36. Online Safety References • http://www.nycamh.com • http://www.cdc.gov • http://agsci.oregonstate.edu • http://www.nyfb.org