Pesticide Use and Applicator Practices of Commercial Cattle Feeders

Abstract

While pesticides are extensively used in U.S. agriculture, little research has been done to document pesticide use and practices of applicators in commercial cattle feedlot operations. The purpose of this exploratory study was to: (1) investigate behavior of commercial cattle feeders using pesticides, (2) determine protective clothing and/or equipment used when personnel apply pesticides, (3) determine clothing management practices, and (4) identify formulations and methods of pesticide application used by feedlot personnel. A questionnaire was administered to 54 commercial feedlot operations. A majority of the 54 feedlots fed over 16,000 cattle annually, while most handling of livestock (including pesticide application) was done by small crews (i.e., 1-4 persons). Results indicated that these feedlot crews may be substantially exposed to a variety of pesticides. Generally, protective clothing was not worn or was insufficient to minimize pesticide exposure.

Diversity of Research in Textiles, Clothing, and Human Behavior: The Relationship Between What We Know and How We Know

“…Survey research has also been used to study the behavior of industry professionals, such as retail buyers (e.g., Fairhurst, Lennon, & Yu, 1996;Hathcote & Schulte, 1996;Shim & Kotsiopulos, 1994;Yu, Fairhurst, & Lennon, 1996), manufacturers (e.g., Huddleston & Oliver, 1995;Kincade, 1995;Lin, Kincade, & Warfield, 1995), retail managers (e.g., Shim & Kotsiopulos, 1994), and manufacturers' sales representatives (e.g., Fairhurst, Lennon, & Yu, 1996). In addition, pesticide use by commercial cattle feeders (Munson & Huck, 1993) and quiltmaking practices (Crews & James, 1996) have also been studied through the use of survey research.…”