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Dairy Animal Handling

Positive animal handling is important for both animal and worker safety. It reduces stress, increasing milk production and reducing potential injuries on the farm.

UMASH has compiled resources (videos, posters, and fact sheets) to help promote positive dairy animal handling practices and keep workers safe.

5-Part Video Series on Dairy Animal Handling

UMASH created a 5-part video series on positive animal handling to be used by farmers, ranchers, farm employees, veterinarians, human resources training staff, and those involved with worker health and safety training/education. The videos demonstrate:

  • Using Predictable Animal Behavior to Increase Milk Production
  • How a Cow Uses Her Senses
  • Working with the Pressure Zone
  • Moving Cows More Effectively
  • Making the Milking Parlor a Happy Place

The series can be a tool for training and retraining workers in small groups or individually. It is also a useful resource for ag educators to help bring safety and health to the classroom.


TRAINING GUIDES

UMASH developed complete training guides that include each video, review questions, a short quiz, and a printable certificate of completion. Available in English and Spanish.

Access the videos with complete training guides here:

CLASSROOM LESSON PLANS

UMASH developed lesson plans to help ag educators use these dairy handling videos in the classroom.  The plans include discussion questions and suggestions for additional resources and classroom activities.

Links to download the classroom lesson plans are provided with the videos below.

Lesson plans are only available in English at this time.

These videos are provided for informational and educational purposes only. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the views of CDC/NIOSH or any other funders.

PART 1: Using Predictable Animal Behavior to Increase Milk Production
DOWNLOAD LESSON PLAN (pdf)
PART 2: How a Cow Uses Her Senses
DOWNLOAD LESSON PLAN (pdf)
 
PART 3: Working with the Pressure Zone
DOWNLOAD LESSON PLAN (pdf)
PART 4: Moving Cows More Effectively
DOWNLOAD LESSON PLAN (pdf)
 
PART 5: Making the Milking Parlor a Happy Place
DOWNLOAD LESSON PLAN (pdf)
PRIMERA PARTE: Cómo Tomar Ventaja del Comportamiento Natural de los Animales para Mejorar la Producción de Leche
SEGUNDA PARTE: Cómo la Vaca Utiliza sus Sentidos
 
TERCERA PARTE: Trabajando con la Zona de Presión
CUARTA PARTE: Cómo Mover las Vaca con Más Eficacia
 
QUINTA PARTE: Cómo Convertir la Sala de Ordeño en un Lugar Agradable

Needlestick Prevention Videos for Dairy Workers

ENGLISH
SPANISH


Posters and Fact Sheets for Dairy Handling

Repetitive Motion Injuries: [noun]

Injuries due to performing the same motion over and over. These conditions are due to overuse, without adequate recovery. Low back strain due to repeated lifting, especially with poor technique, is an example.

– Suzanne Tanner, M.D. (Mayo Clinic)


Dairy Worker Health and Well Being Training

Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health
University of Texas Health Sciences Center of Houston

Explore these videos from the University of Texas to better understand the importance of your health and wellbeing as an essential worker in the dairy industry and how to best prevent the spread of pathogens both on the farm and in your home.

  • Dairy Farm Safety
    UTHealth: The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

We encourage you to share these resources with your colleagues and anyone you know who may benefit.  In addition to the downloads on our website, the materials are also available on DVD, which includes additional UMASH safety resources. For more information on these and other resources, or to request a DVD, please contact Carol Peterson at ctrefry@umn.edu.