Animal Aggression

Livestock can’t be trusted

• Many child related injuries (one in six) involve animals
• An estimated 34,636 emergency room visits were made in 1992 as a result of horse related injuries.
• Injuries happen because animals are upset or feeling threatened.
• When a stranger is invading their territory rams, bulls & hogs butt and pin or throw their offenders.
• Don’t let strangers enter confinements alone.
• When mothers feel that their babies are threatened they may bite, charge or kick.
• Never come between a mother & her offspring!

Isolation aggression

• Animals who normally live in groups, get crabby when they are isolated.
• Illness increases their bad temper.
• Whenever something happens to disturb an animal’s sense of normalcy it may feel threatened. Leave yourself an out in confined animal quarters! Remember! You are trespassing on their turf!

About kicking

• Horses lack peripheral vision.
• They kick at threats from behind because they can’t see them.
• They need to see who you are.
• Cows can kick too for this reason.
• Introduce yourself to animals from the front, not the side.

Safe Farm Series: Iowa State University Extension, Ames Iowa 1997