Occupational risk factors in small stockbreeding farms including Lithuanian conditions

Abstract

Abstract. Animal husbandry is one of the agricultural sub-sectors, which might have negative influence on human health and has a vast number of occupational risk factors on workers. As small (family) animal husbandry farms (up to 50 cows) are prevailing in Lithuania and consist ~67 % of the total number, special attention should be focused on the reduction of occupational risk factors in such farms, as they have a significantly higher risk level because of lack of resources and safety culture. The aim of this article is to identify and assess the prevailing occupational risk factors in such stockbreeding farms in Lithuania.Most common risk factors include dust, thermal environment, noise, ergonomic and physical load factors as well as biological risks. It was found that noise level during breeding and automated distribution of forage might be as high as 87.3 dB(A), while concentration of particulate matters (PM10) might reach the value of 2.2 mg·m -3 during the manual distribution flour in the cowshed. Thermal environment in small cowsheds is within 7 and 12 degrees while the humidity of air might reach 90 %, which can be attributed as unfavourable working conditions. As most works in such farms are done manually, parameters of physical activity were collected during milking, manual manure removal and feeding operations. Maximum physical loads were found for manual feeding (pulse value of 135 pulses per minute), manual manure removal to the scraper (120 pulses per minute). Such works are attributed as very hard physical labour.Keywords: dust, microclimate, noise, physical load, stockbreeding. IntroductionAgriculture is a major economic activity in the EU and Lithuania and employs 25 million and ~350 000 workers respectively [1].According to the data provided by Eurostat, more than half of these agricultural workers (53 %) were working on farms with a small economic size, while farms with only family workers (100 % of the labour input on the farm was provided by family members) accounted for 93,7 % of the total number of farms in the EU-28 in 2013 [1]. For the case of Lithuania, small family farms are dominant and the average size of the farm is 9.37 ha compared to 16,1 ha for the EU-28 [1; 2]. These farms are usually poorly specialized and prosecute multiple activities as well as usually lack safety culture because of limited resources.According to the data provided by the Agricultural Information and Rural Business Centre [2] there were ~120000 farms registered in Lithuania in 2016, while small cow farms were dominant (Fig. 1). These data show that more than 80 % of all cow keepers keep from 1 to 5 cows in Lithuania but only approximately 30 % of all cows are kept in such farms. According to statistical data, largest percentage, i.e. 38 % of cows are kept in the farms of size 6-50 cows, while additional 30 % in the farms with more than 50 cows [2].

Influence of housing technology on dust level in cowsheds

“…The dust pollution is high because of the frequent use and manipulation with straw inside the buildings. It corresponds with the result presented in [15]. The solution for dust reduction is sufficient ventilation.…”

“…Problems of dust pollution in cowsheds are included in the paper [15]. The authors recognised that concentrations and particle count strongly depend on operation.…”

Quality evaluation of mixing fodder by mobile combined units

“…where V c -average volume of a particle of the control component cm 3 ; ρ кк -density of the control component; kg•cm -3 ; ρ кс -density of the feed mixture, kg•cm -3 ; α -given significance level (probability for ε = 0.95, α = 1.96); k -weight of the control component in the mixture, k = 0.01.…”

“…The results of the research and manufacture experience show that the maximum technological efficiency (livestock products) feed resources only in processed form as a part of complete balanced mixtures provide maximum benefit. It is established, for example [3], when the diets of cattle(ruminants) lack 20-25 % digestible protein, the yield is reduced by 30-35 %. This feed unit costs increased by 30-40 %, and the cost of manufactured products increased by 1.5 times.…”

Influence of Technological Housing Conditions on the Concentration of Airborne Dust in Dairy Farms in the Summer: A Case Study

“…Airborne dust has a harmful effect on the health of workers [4,[6][7][8][9]18,19], but it can also have a negative effect on housed animals [4][5][6][7][8][9][20][21][22][23][24][25]. In terms of their effect on the organism, dust particles in animals' houses are classified as airborne dust without a fibrogenic effect but with an irritating effect.…”