Injuries caused by livestock hospitalise thousands each year

Analysis of hospital admissions across Australia has revealed more than 5000 people had been injured through contact with stock in a single year.

The research from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, and funded by the federal government, waded through hospital admissions reports from 2021-2022.

Contact with livestock was found to made up almost a quarter (22 per cent) of all animal injury hospitalisations caused mainly by being "bitten or struck".

Horses were found to be the most dangerous (22pc) followed by cattle (13pc) and sheep (3pc).

Females were twice as likely to be injured than males, the institute found.

The people most injured were aged between 15 and 24 years.

The bulk of the injuries with livestock were found to be located in remote areas and those injured were mostly involved while working and during "sport, exercise or recreational activity".

The numbers are thought to be much higher as the research did not include emergency department presentations.

Livestock related injuries increased with remoteness and overall numbers have remained relatively stable over the past decade.

Overall, there were 23,380 hospitalisations due to contact with animals in 2021-22, a rise of 10pc from the year before.

Pet cats and dogs were responsible for more than half (53pc) of all injury hospitalisations related to contact with animals in 2021-22.

Open wounds were the most common type of injury, followed by fractures, toxic effects and superficial and soft tissue injury.

The upper limbs, head and neck were the body parts most likely to be injured.

Working with livestock caused more hospitalisations than wildlife and venomous animals which caused 4980 hospital visits in 2021-22.