Now, readers, if you’re anything like me you will be looking forward to all the new calves, lambs and other newborn animals set to arrive on your farm. New life is a special gift in nature but also comes with its dangers.
To prepare for the calving and lambing season and to ensure your farm is ready for new arrivals, let’s walk through the farm with the farmer in your family and see if you can spot the items listed below. Remember: you must be accompanied by the farmer when carrying out the checklist.
Animals are cute to look at, but they are a bit like people – they need their own space and can be very dangerous. So we have to be careful not to get too close to bulls, cows, sheep or pigs. A cow who is trying to protect her babies can quickly get frightened and attack you if you get too close. You should never enter a field with a dog or cat as the cows will become agitated and could attack you. Many animals can get very excited when they are being moved from one place to another. They can jump around a lot, and they’re so big and heavy they could easily stand on your foot or even squash you against the wall and hurt you. You wouldn’t want that, would you? So never go into the animal's pen.
And another thing, animals can carry harmful germs. Never touch your face or mouth after touching farm animals, and always remember to wash and dry your hands properly after you have been near farm animals, even if they look clean to you!