Beyond the Bruise: Understanding Injury Risk Factors Among Livestock Workers in Cattle Feedyards and Animal Handling Farms and Ranches

Cattle feeding and livestock production are central to U.S. agriculture and represent some of the most hazardous occupational environments. Workers in feedyards and on cattle farms and ranches face elevated risks of injury due to physically demanding labor, frequent animal handling, and exposure to environmental and ergonomic hazards. Many feedyard workers are Hispanic/Latino immigrants who may experience additional barriers related to language, healthcare access, and job security. Similarly, injury risks among cattle producers are compounded by seasonal workload fluctuations, limited rest opportunities, and psychosocial stressors. Beyond individual impacts, agricultural injuries also pose a substantial economic burden. Recent estimates indicate that the average cost of a nonfatal farm injury exceeds $15,000, with national agricultural injury costs totaling over $11.3 billion annually. Despite these risks and costs, limited research has examined how multilevel factors, including individual characteristics, organizational conditions, and broader contextual influences, contribute to injury among livestock workers. This dissertation addresses that gap through three studies focused on cattle feedyard workers and cattle operators in the U.S. Central States. Study 1 used Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to examine how job demands, perceived organizational support (POS), related contextual factors and health conditions, influence work-related injury outcomes among 170 Hispanic/Latino cattle feedyard workers in Nebraska, Kansas, and Colorado. Higher job demands, animal handling, and high blood pressure were associated with increased injury risk, while older age and greater POS were protective. Several significant interaction terms suggest that the effects of individual predictors are shaped by the context in which they occur. Study 2 applied multivariable logistic regression within a Social Ecological Model (SEM) framework to identify individual, interpersonal, and organizational predictors of injury among 180 Hispanic/Latino feedyard workers. Higher education, frequent work fatigue, and self-rated good or very good health were significantly associated with past-year injury. Study 3 analyzed data from 4,523 farmers and ranchers with cattle operations across seven Midwestern states using Generalized Estimating Equations. Seasonal patterns showed a peak in spring injuries, primarily due to livestock-related events in the farmyard. Male sex, high stress, exhaustion, and awkward postures were independently associated with past year injury. Together, these studies indicate that livestock injuries arise from identifiable and often modifiable patterns across personal, social, and structural levels. Findings support comprehensive prevention strategies that address work demands, fatigue, organizational culture, and seasonal risks in high-intensity livestock operations.