1. Livestock Handling and Zoonoses
A PowerPoint Presentation keyed to Chapter 7 of
Materials for Teaching Agricultural Safety
in the College Classroom
by Carol J. Lehtola, PhD, and Charles M. Brown
Book and more presentations in this series are available on the National Ag Safety Database,

2. Objectives
To identify and understand concepts of hazards when working with animals
Livestock Handling and Zoonoses
Slide 7.1

3. Rabies Lyme disease Trichinosis Ringworm Tuberculosis Brucellosis
Examples
Rabies
Lyme disease
Trichinosis
Ringworm
Tuberculosis
Brucellosis
Livestock Handling and Zoonoses
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4. Prevention and Control
Use a safe water supply
Sanitary waste disposal
Assure meat safety
Reduce contact with diseased animals
Remove ticks
Pasteurize milk
Livestock Handling and Zoonoses
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5. Animal Handling Avoid dramatic changes of an animal’s routines
Be alert when working with animals
Keep groups of animals together for better control
Maintain a dominant role
Understand maternal instincts
Understand territorial protection (especially when feeding)
Livestock Handling and Zoonoses
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6. Problem Areas Delay in getting rescue vehicles to the site
Wounds contaminated with fecal organisms
Antibiotic-resistant infections may result from the cattle being treated with antibiotics
Needlesticks
Respiratory problems in confinement systems (hogs, poultry)
Livestock Handling and Zoonoses
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7. Safety Measures Immunizations
Leave yourself an escape route when working in close quarters
Avoid exciting, teasing, or abusing (it can take 30 seconds to get them riled up and 30 minutes to calm them down)
Make animals aware of your approach so you do not startle them
Livestock Handling and Zoonoses
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8. Safety Measures (cont’d)
Good housekeeping
Keep drugs and chemicals in a secure place and in original containers
Keep heaters away from combustible materials
Keep pens, gates, and fences in good repair and free from protrusions
Genetics; cull ornery animals
Livestock Handling and Zoonoses
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9. Safety Measures in Confinement Systems
Respirators
Ventilation
Dust control
Hearing protection
Livestock Handling and Zoonoses
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10. Resources
Temple Grandin’s website, including design of facilities (
NASD, including livestock handling, horses, beef, dairy, swine (
SART – State Agricultural Response Team (
FEMA: Animals in Disasters (
Biosecurity for Livestock Producers ( -Principles-for-Livestock-Producers.pdf)
National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety: Agritourism: Health and Safety Guidelines for Children ( agritourismhealthandsafetyguidelinesforchildren pdf)
Livestock Handling and Zoonoses
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