Teagasc, in association with the IFA, hosted a farm safety farm walk at Kildalton College, Piltown, Co Kilkenny, on Friday 20 July to mark the end of Farm Safety Week 2018.

The walk began with a description of the world famous Temple Grandin principles of safe cattle handling and was followed by a viewing of safety and efficient cattle handling facilities.

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 safely with livestock involves much more than being careful around recently calved cows or cantankerous bulls."

Working safely with livestock involves much more than being careful around recently calved cows or cantankerous bulls

McNamara added that: “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.”

Livestock can be unpredictable; something that even the most experienced farmer can’t completely plan for

According to IFA president Joe Healy: “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. 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,” the IFA president said.

For more information on Farm Safety Week UK & Ireland, visit www.ifa.ie/farm-safety or follow @IFAmedia on Twitter using the hashtag #FarmSafetyWeek.