The Dairy Partner / El Compañero is a bimonthly newsletter that is geared to dairy employees and include a safety/health related topic. The current print form reaches 560 farms with about 3000 employees. The newsletter uses contributions from the UWEX Dairy Team to help employees improve their skills, maintain safety and improve their way of life.
Dairy Worker Training Module VI
Dairy Worker Training Module VI covers animal movement and skidsteer training. The modules incorporate worker safety as part of the work tasks covered in the training. Module is available in DVD or hard-copy. For further information on the module, visit the Division of Extension Learning Store.
Dairy Safety Training Program materials from the California Worker Occupational Safety and Health Training Program
The Dairy Safety Training Guide was developed to help California dairy employers educate their employees on safe practices to reduce injury and illness when working with animals and machinery. In addition to the training guide a fotonovela “How Pablo Learned to Work Around Cattle” was developed to provide training to dairy industry employees on basic safe handling practices of cows and bull. Some items in this resource are specific to California dairy industry to meet CAL OSHA standards. Wisconsin is a federal OSHA state. These materials are available here in English and Español.
Cattle Handling Safety
- Avoid quick movements or loud noises. Cattle have close to 360-degree panoramic vision. A quick movement behind cattle may “spook” them. They also have sensitive hearing and can detect sounds that human ears cannot hear.
- Be patient; never prod an animal when it has nowhere to go.
- Move slowly and deliberately around livestock; gently touch animals rather than shoving or bumping them. Don’t shout.
- Always have an escape route when working with animals in close quarters. Alleys and chutes should be wide enough to allow animals to pass, but not wide enough to let them turn around.
- Most animals tend to be aggressive when protecting their young; be extra careful around cows with newborn calves.
- Bulls of breeding age are very dangerous. Use special facilities for them and practice extreme caution when handling them. Never trust them or assume they are tame.
- Keep young children away from animal handling areas.