Farm Animal Training :: Cattle

140, 000 farm injuries occur each year - 14,000 are fatal.  All injuries should be reported to your unit supervisor for documentation and/or reporting to CompEndium Services (877-709-2667).  Even if injuries don’t appear serious at the time, it is best to let medical professionals make the decision regarding treatment in hopes of preventing future problems. 

Another potential health problem is accidental exposure to pesticides and other chemical agents.   Anti-splash goggles should be worn when applying or pouring bulk quantities of pesticides or chemicals.  Read the label and wear other equipment as advised.  Read the safety precautions and know the first aid measures in advance. 

Although it is not common for personnel to become sick from a disease agent carried by the farm animals, called "zoonotic" diseases, the risk is present.

The following precautions are extremely important to protect yourself and your family from disease while working with cattle:    

· Gloves should be worn and hands washed after glove removal. 

·  Hands should also be washed frequently throughout the day.

·  Many of the cattle zoonoses are caused by fecal-oral contamination.  To prevent this, no eating, drinking, applying lip balm or smoking is allowed in areas where pigs or their excreta are present.  Always wash your hands prior to eating, drinking, smoking, or applying lip balm.

·  Report sick cattle immediately so the University Vet can diagnose, treat, and prevent the spread.

Designated protective clothing and shoes should be worn, and these are to be kept and laundered at the cattle facility.  It can be particularly dangerous to bring these organisms home to your family members.  A normal, healthy adult may have only mild symptoms when infected with a zoonotic disease, but the same organisms can be fatal to infants, the elderly, and those with a weakened or suppressed immune system, such as people without spleens, people taking cortisone and other medications, people on chemotherapy or  radiation, those with cancer, diabetes, AIDS or renal failure, etc.

If you suspect your immune system may be abnormal, seek medical attention for diagnosis, treatment and determination as to whether or not animal exposure is safe for you. Do this immediately!

BRUCELLOSIS…is caused by a bacteria, Brucella sp. which is shed in large numbers in the milk and placental membranes of infected cows, sheep and goats. Prevention for personnel includes not drinking raw milk and observing good hand washing practices after handling placentas or assisting animals in labor. Although the university cattle herds are vaccinated against this organism, the potential for reinfection from another part of the country exists. There are similar risks for sheep and goats. The disease in man is disabling, with recurrent fevers, infection of the bony spine, scoliosis, and infection of testes.

CAMPYLOBACTER or VIBRIOSIS… is due to several Campylobacter sp. known to cause disease. In cattle and sheep, Campylobacter fetus is relatively common and causes infertility, abortion and weak or dead newborn calves and lambs.  Other Campylobacter species (C. jejuni, C. hyointestinalis ) can induce intestinal disease in many animals, including humans. People can become infected by contact with infected animals, by eating contaminated food or water, or by handling infected placentas. Should any animal abort, one should wear gloves to handle the placenta and aborted tissues and be certain to wash hands thoroughly after removing the gloves. The infection in people causes severe diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, nausea and vomiting but complications may include arthritis, convulsions and meningitis. There has been one case of a university farm worker being infected with this bacteria within the past few years. In cattle, Campylobacter fetus is transmitted by sexual contact and bulls and cows which are "carriers" can lack symptoms but still spread the disease. The preputial secretions from bulls and the vaginal mucus of cows can be cultured to see if the bacteria is present; herd health programs should require all animals to be tested before they are introduced to the herd.  

COLIBACILLOSIS…some Escherichia coli strains are species-specific, others are not. The bacteria is shed in large numbers in the feces and humans may become infected by not washing hands well after handling manure from infected animals. Humans may also become infected by handling animal carcasses or meat which has been contaminated by feces. Raw milk and undercooked meat products can also contain pathogenic strains. In humans, the enterotoxigenic strains may cause profuse and watery diarrhea, abdominal colic, vomiting, dehydration and death (remember the deaths due to undercooked hamburgers from Jack in the Box?). Calf diarrhea due to E. coli is a disease causing mortality in calves less than 10 days old. It causes serious diarrhea, with whitish feces and rapid dehydration. Mastitis caused by E. coli occurs most often in older cows with dilated milk ducts. In the horse, perhaps 1% of abortions and 5% of deaths of newborns were due to E. coli.

CRYPTOSPORIDIUM…SEE FARM ANIMALS is a one celled parasite which invades the intestinal epithelium of many different species of animals and birds. Most normal, healthy individuals exposed to this parasite never show clinical symptoms but severe diarrhea may occur in the very young, the very old and those individuals which are sick or stressed. When severe diarrhea occurs, dehydration, weakness, collapse and death may occur. Treatment is aimed at moderating the symptoms and may or may not be effective-at this time, there is not a specific, effective treatment for this parasite. Because the parasite can infect so many different species and survive for long periods of time outside the body in a cool and moist environment, control consists of isolating animals with diarrhea and observing good

Q FEVER is a disease of sheep and goats (but cattle can also be infected) caused by a rickettsial organism. Placentas and birth fluids contain a high concentration of the infectious agent, as may milk. Avoid direct contact with the placenta or birth fluids of sheep, goats and cattle and if they must be handled, wear gloves and wash hands immediately after. This organism initially may cause flu-like symptoms but can progress to heart valve and other problems.  Be aware of the potential for Q Fever if you have an unexplained illness and are working with goats, cattle, or sheep. If you work at the beef farm or dairy, you must read the following information from the CDC website.

LEPTOSPIROSIS…is a bacteria which may be transmitted to humans by the urine of infected animals of all species. The organism may also enter through minor skin lesions and probably via the conjunctiva. In cattle, fever and loss of appetite occur with rapid decline in milk yield and mastitis. Pregnant cows abort. The disease in man ranges from inapparent infection to severe infection and death. Prevention includes early detection of the disease in the animals and personnel observing proper handwashing procedures.

RABIES… SEE FARM ANIMALS is universally fatal.  Transmission occurs through a bite, scratch or abrasion from an infected animal.  Farm animals can be bitten by a rabid dog, coyote, cat, raccoon, skunk or bat, or an infected herd mate and then become infected.  Rabid animals of all species exhibit signs of central nervous system disturbances once they are past the early incubation stage, but prior to that may show no signs at all and yet still be infective.  Sometimes infected horses bite other animals or people at the slightest provocation and some infected cattle will butt objects or act like they have something caught in their throat.  Report all animals showing central nervous symptoms to the University Veterinarian and the unit supervisor, and also report any bite wound or scratch.  If rabies is suspected the animal will be quarantined or else necropsied upon death, to determine if rabies treatment is needed for those who were exposed.  

RAW MILK …No person is to drink raw milk from the university dairy-either from a cow's side, from the bulk tank, or any small samples taken at any other time. The same prohibition would be true for raw milk from university sheep or goats. The list of disease agents whic.h can be transmitted through unpasteurized milk is long and includes viruses, bacteria, rickettsia, fungi, and protozoa.

TOXOPLASMOSIS…is caused by a tiny, one celled parasite which can infect virtually all warm-blooded species and spread throughout the tissues of the body. The greatest threat is to pregnant females (women and other animals), since infection of the fetus may lead to abortion or severe birth defects. Many people and animals are infected at some time in their life but show no clinical disease and the organism stays dormant in body tissues.  Pregnant women should not empty cat litter boxes.

TUBERCULOSIS…is a bacterial disease which can be spread from cattle to man and also from man to cattle. The infection may be limited to chest symptoms, or may affect virtually any body system.  Transmission is mainly by inhalation, although man can become infected by drinking raw milk from infected cattle. Cattle are tested for the bacteria by using a skin test very similar to the one administered to man. The university dairy herd is routinely tested and all animals with a suspect test result are culled from the herd.