title: Livestock-handling injuries in agriculture: an analysis of Colorado workers' compensation data.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies have reported that livestock-handling injuries are among the most severe of agricultural injuries. This study identifies the costs, characteristics, and contributing factors associated with livestock-handling injuries among Colorado dairy farmers, cattle/livestock raisers, and cattle dealers.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 10-year (1997-2006) history of Colorado's workers' compensation claims data was used for analysis. Descriptive analyses of livestock-handling injury claims were performed. Claim cost analysis was also conducted. The agent-host-environment epidemiological model was used to analyze injury event descriptions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1,114 livestock-handling claims were analyzed. Claims associated with milking parlor tasks represented nearly 50% of injuries among dairy workers. Claims associated with riding horseback, sorting/penning cattle, and livestock-handling equipment represented high proportions of livestock-handling injuries among cattle/livestock raisers and cattle dealers. Claims associated with livestock-handling represented the highest percentage of high-cost and high-severity injuries in all three sectors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Livestock-handling injuries are a significant problem, more costly, and result in more time off work than other causes of agricultural injuries. There is a strong and compelling need to develop cost-effective interventions to reduce the number of livestock-handling injuries in agriculture.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523-1681, USA. david.douphrate@colostate.edu
authors.forename: David I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Douphrate
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Rosecrance
authors.forename: Lorann
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stallones
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.forename: David P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Gilkey
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic; D003120:Colorado / Q000453:epidemiology; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008875:Middle Aged; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014942:Workers' Compensation / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult