Emergency Preparedness on Dairies

Emergency preparedness is something we all know we should do, but unfortunately it often ends up on the “to do list” never getting checked off as completed. We know emergencies happen, we just don’t know to whom, when, or what type of emergency. Being prepared for an emergency on your dairy can significantly improve recovery time from an unexpected incident.

 

Dairies lend themselves to some unique circumstances when it comes to farm emergencies involving livestock. Why? Milking at the farm occurs 365 days of the year. This requires a source of energy to milk the cows, cool the milk and provide water, feed and manure removal for the cows. Secondly, there is often a large number of animals in a concentrated area requiring numerous people to care for the animals. There is oftentimes limited English proficiency, and communication in an emergency can be challenging.

 

Training employees annually in some basic areas, will help expedite the recovery time should an emergency occur. What are some of the major areas to cover?  

Talk with employees and family members about what they are to do if an emergency situation occurs and designate emergency responsibilities. It is also recommended to have emergency contact information listed and posted in an area that all can access.

Provide an -Spanish version if English proficiency is limited. Posters are available through the National Dairy Farm Program – FARM (Farmers Assuring Responsible Management) for free online. You as an owner/manager will also want to have a list of emergency contact info outside of emergency services (911) such as the following: Milk hauler, Milk Processor/Field Representative, Milk Equipment Dealer, Machinery Dealer, Feed Dealer, Veterinarian, and your Insurance Agent.