Dee Jepsen
Extension Associate
Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering
Farms are fun places to find animals. Cows, chickens, turkeys, pigs, and sheep are animals found on farms. They work for the farmer and give us meat, eggs, milk, and wool.
Farm animals are not pets. They can hurt you. Farm animals can kick you, bite you, or knock you down. Baby animals can hurt you, too. They are cute, but you should never try to pet them without an adult to help you. Getting too close to baby animals scares them. Mothers get angry when you scare their babies. They may snort, paw the ground, and put their ears back. If you see the mother showing any of these signs, get away fast.
To stay safe, never go around farm animals alone. Always go with an adult.
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It is your responsibility, as a parent, to supervise your children when they are around livestock. Children should be taught that farm animals are very unpredictable and can cause serious injuries. Teach your children to never enter an animal’s pen or fenced area without adult supervision. Your children must learn to distinguish between pets and livestock. To emphasize appropriate safe behavior, avoid treating farm animals as pets. |
Sources: Bean, T. Working Safely With Livestock. AEX-990. Agricultural Engineering Department Fact Sheet. The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.
Reviewed by: Dr. Thomas L. Bean, State Safety Leader; Richard Stowell, Extension, Agricultural Engineer; Becky Cropper, 4-H, Youth & Community Development Agent; Drew Dosch, age 4.
Acknowledgement: The author wishes to thank Kristi Kress for her contributions to this publication. Kristi is an Agricultural Communications major at The Ohio State University.
Click here for a PDF version of this fact sheet.
All educational programs conducted by Ohio State University Extension are available to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, gender, age, disability or Vietnam-era veteran status.
Keith L. Smith, Associate Vice President for Ag. Adm. and Director, OSU Extension.
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