The Department of Agriculture is urging farmers to prioritise safety during the busy calving season.
Minister Martin Heydon warns that farmers must prioritise safety and take time to assess potential hazards and risks around the farmyard and farm. Health and Safety Authority (HSA) data shows that attacks by a cow with a calf account for a third of all fatalities involving livestock. Cows with calves were involved in more fatal incidents than bulls over the ten-year period 2014 – 2023.
Older people are particularly vulnerable when it comes to livestock, with livestock accounting for over a quarter of fatalities among farmers over 65 years of age. The Minister is also conscious of farmers working while being sleep deprived during the calving season which may lead to accidents.
Minister Heydon reminds farmers of the TAMS3 Farm Safety Capital Investment Scheme which has a higher rate of payment of 60% for an expanded range of farm safety related investments including calving gates, livestock monitoring cameras and handling facilities such as cattle crushes.
