Swine & U

Part of the National Ag Safety Awareness Program is a focus on safety around livestock — including livestock handling and transportation. Stressed livestock are more likely to injure themselves, their handlers and are more difficult to work with.

Providing stockmanship training for workers handling livestock is key to preventing injuries. Stockmanship is a practice which promotes positive animal handling and is SWINE & U important for both animal By Diane DeWitte and caretaker safety. It reduces stress, increases productivity, and reduces potential injuries on the farm. The Upper Midwest Agriculture Safety and Health Center (UMASH) has resources developed to promote and teach stockmanship for caretakers and managers of all animal species. Visit umash.umn.edu/farm-safety to learn more.

Considering production across the different phases, from the movement of replacement females, weaned pigs, or marketing of finishing, and culled breeding stock, a conservative estimate for the total number of pigs in transport on any given day in the United States adds up to over one million.

More often than not, those several thousands of transporters can expect to have a typical day with no major issues. These individuals will have completed a livestock transport certification program, Pork Checkoff’s Transport Quality Assurance, and are prepared to safely handle and haul these animals. Despite following proper procedure and the rules of the road, accidents do happen.

Keep current contact information

Having emergency contact information readily accessible for producers and employees is the first step to prepare for accidents, breakdowns or delays. Producers who have participated in Common Swine Industry Audit or had a Pork Quality Assurance Plus (PQA+) Site Assessment know that having this information up-to-date is a requirement of certification.

Just as producers should keep copies of this information in the office, livestock haulers should also have those emergency contacts on hand. Similar to an on-farm emergency response plan, the names, addresses and phone numbers for the producer, police, fire, ambulance and herd veterinarian should be included with the pigs being transported.

Additional information, such as the company, destination or harvest plant dispatch, insurance provider, and roadside assistance will be needed when dealing with a transport issue. Roadside traffic incidents, no matter the severity, cause added stress to drivers and livestock alike. Keeping up-to-date

UniversityofMinnesota EXTENSION

securing an accident

SWINE&U scene. Key considerations for safe driving Weather — One key consideration not only copies of these contacts, in the cab and on paper, can alleviate the added anxiety and ensure key contacts aren’t forgotten during the scramble of dealing with an incident. for animal safety and welfare, but safe transport, is weather. Throughout a typical year in the upper Midwest, producers experience temperature fluctuations ranging from both ends of the extreme and all forms of precipitaAccidents happen. What should you do? tion. Pork producers and transporters have accepted numerous responsibilities in their profession — with biosecurity, pork quality and animal health and wellness being closely tied to transportation. In the event where a truck driver is involved in a traffic incident, these responsibilities — in addition to In the interest of keeping pigs on the trailer for the shortest amount of time reasonable, up-to-date forecasts and communication with the processing plant or destination will be vital in order to avoid delays or detours. human safety, property, and public perception of the Fatigue — The nature of working in pork producindustry — will be put to the test. tion means the scope of daily tasks extends beyond For accidents occurring on public roadways involving other vehicles, the first priority is providing safety and attention to all parties involved. Alerting the authorities, and exchanging information are also initial steps to take. a normal work day. Intense and long hours can often lead to fatigue, and individuals suffering from fatigue who get behind the wheel pose a significant threat to human and animal safety. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about 100,000 reported crashes are caused by

When transporting livestock, there are consider- drowsy or fatigued drivers annually. ations that must be taken into account beyond those typical of a non-commercial accident: Alert emergency operator about size, number and condition of pigs on board, as well as the status of any loose animals or hazards that may influence public safety. Place emergency warning devices to alert other trafSigns of fatigue can include slower reflexes, an inability to focus or keep eyes open or missing road signs, exits, landmarks etc. Haulers must be able to identify these different symptoms and be proactive in addressing them before transporting livestock. fic of accident scene. Contact harvest plant and the In order to prevent fatigue, understand your body pig farmer with details and updates of the incident. and get enough sleep. Seven and a half hours is Herd any loose pigs from road away from traffic and generally recognized as the amount of sleep provide protection and comfort. Take pictures of the required by an average adult. However, some people accident scene. Include road conditions, vehicle posi- may need a little more or little less to function at tion, damage and other views for documentation normal capacity. later reference. Refer media to first responders in Maintain a healthy lifestyle by drinking plenty of charge. fluids, eat a balanced diet and get regular exercise. Livestock emergency response trailers Healthy individuals are better able to fight off illavailable ness and perform under the stress.

The Minnesota Pork Board and Region 5 of Don’t be afraid to take breaks or ask for a substiHomeland Security Emergency Management creat- tute driver. Fresh air, stretching and brief periods of ed emergency response trailers for use in situa- activity can provide energy and increased attentivetions where a transporter has a roll-over or some ness. If a driver feels they are unable to safely drive, type of accident requiring additional assistance they should pull over and alert company and desticontrolling livestock on board or loose animals at nation dispatch of the situation.the scene. Distracted driving — An emerging epidemic is

These trailers, located throughout Southern taking its toll on the nation’s roadways in the form Minnesota in Adams, Buffalo Lake, Fairmont, of distracted driving. Between the increasing capaGranite Falls, Pipestone, Sleepy Eye and bilities of cell phones with texting, social media and Worthington are equipped with livestock panels, other apps, complicated infotainment systems found sorting boards, chains and other equipment neces- on dashboards or the hundreds of other things sary to provide safety for both animals and traffic transporters try to do or think about, it’s easy to see alike. If a livestock transporter needs assistance how drivers have become almost absent from the with controlling loose animals, requesting one of task of driving. these trailers can be done by contacting 911 or other emergency response officials. Once one of these trailers is deployed, responders will be able to Since 2015, it is estimated the number of roadway accidents causing fatalities directly linked to disprovide brief training to assist transporters in