Understanding Agricultural Liability: Livestock and Other Farm Animals

Animal agriculture carries certain potential legal risks for liability from injuries caused by livestock. Stable operators may have a horse that throws a rider or a horse that kicks another rider. Cattle producers may have stock that injures a recreational user of the farmland. Others may have that ornery goat or ram that insists upon giving whoever enters the field a solid head butt. Still others may have that unfriendly goose that must give chase. You get the point. As a livestock owner, understanding the law as it relates to liability for personal injuries caused by livestock will better help you develop a risk management plan that fits the needs of your operation. After reviewing this fact sheet, the reader should take a moment to consider his/her own operation. After reviewing the operation, the reader will be able to understand the potential legal risks that could exist and be able to develop strategies to limit some of potential liability.