One thing after an udder as Healy-Rae attacked by cow

OUTSPOKEN Kerry TD Michael Healy-Rae has revealed he was ‘knocked out’ by a cow on his farm.

The Independent TD urged farmers to be ‘careful’ when dealing with animals during calving season, recounting his own terrifying ordeal.

During a recent radio appearance, Mr Healy-Rae recalled the unfortunate incident that occurred when he attempted to move a new-born calf.

‘The message for this morning and this year – and I thank the Health and Safety Authority for the good work that they do – but to let people remember that animal husbandry is very important, looking after our animals is very important, but you have to see after yourself as well and always expect the unexpected,’ he warned on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland this week.

‘In my case, what happened to me was familiarity breeds content’ he said. ‘It was a particular cow, that was a very quiet cow, an older cow, and she was after calving on the slats. ‘And I went in to take the calf out and to bring her onto straw bedding, and I didn’t have my eyes open, that was the long and the short of it. ‘And when the cow saw me taking away the calf, she got me down on the ground and whatever way I hit my head off a barrier gate, I was knocked out.

‘Not only was it the cow that had the calf but another few more joined in as well and they had a right party on top of me.’

He also spoke of the misconceptions surrounding cattle and safety protocols.

‘Thankfully, there were people nearby that realised something was wrong and they literally came in – two of them – and picked me up and threw me out over. The cow was bad at that stage. The message is, you can’t be careful enough.’