Seomra 4 have completed Module Two ‘Animals’ of the Farm Safe Schools programme. This module enabled the children to learn how to recognise the different signs and physical behaviours used
by animals. Understand instinctive and learned behaviours. Staying
safe while working with animals, particularly those giving birth and
understanding animal welfare.
Topic 1 - The Bull
We learned a lot about the bull. The bull
is a big male cow. When they're young you give them a nose ring to lead them around. Bulls are
unpredictable and dangerous and we should be very cautious when a bull is nearby. Bulls are never put in the same field as the baby calves or another bull.
We learned about the warning signs if a bull is going to charge.
- They will stop grazing & watch you (stare you down)
- Bellow – make a grunting sound
- Start pawing the ground with their hoof
- Shake their head from side to side
We now know that we should never turn our back on a bull and we should always have an exit plan from a field.
We know that you should always treat a bull with caution, regardless of how long you know the animal.
Topic 2 - Cows and Calves
Cows can be male and female, a calf is the proper name for a baby cow. You can put any amount of cows in a field as
long as they all fit and that's called a herd. Cows can be dangerous so you
should be careful around cow especially when they are freshly calved. If you are going to feed or help a new born calf you should put the calf in a crush first. Never approach a cow from behind.
Topic 3 - Knowing the Warning Signs
When bulls are ready to charge they scrape the
ground and grunt. Cows show the same signs as bulls like scraping the ground, grunting and
pacing. Bulls may have big horns and when they charge they could cause serious damage. We took part in a webinar which told us about the different signs and behaviours the animals show when they are relaxed or agitated.
We acted out the different behaviours in drama and this was great fun. We watched a video of a bull showing signs of attack and it was quite scary. We created farm safety signs.
By Aleisha and Ethel 5th class
