Jones producer Bradley McMichael was killed on July 11 after sustaining injuries from two water buffaloes he bought the day before.
Last week, McMichael bought the water buffalo at a livestock auction. The next day, the animals attacked and killed him, according to the press release from the Jones Police Department.
Officials say it is believed he became trapped in buffalo's enclosure while tending to them. First responders were initially unable to reach McMichael because of the animals; both water buffaloes were eventually killed.
Agricultural workers are at increased risk of on-the-job injuries and deaths. Machinery, livestock, extreme weather conditions and environmental factors are a few health risks, according to the Rural Health Information Hub.
In a social media post, Jennifer Green, McMichael's fiancée, said the farm was his dream and she had the opportunity to help him with it. McMichael's funeral is this Saturday in Jones.
"The future looks different now and there are a lot of things to handle but at some point, we do have meat inventory that is still available and will need to be sold," according to the post.
Barry Whitworth, Oklahoma State University senior extension specialist, said many injuries or deaths are associated with livestock.
"Ranching and farming is a dangerous occupation," Whitworth said. "I mean, the statistics back that up."
The death rate at work is about five times higher for agricultural workers compared to the average across all industries, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Kevin Moore, an OSU biosystems and agricultural engineering professor, said there are a lot of hazards associated with machinery.
He said it's important to remember the effort people put into producing food and doing what they love.
"I think as we as a society have less connection to where food comes from," Moore said. "A lot of times these kinds of things feel more foreign to us."
The OSU extension offers safety resources for farmers and ranchers. Both Moore and Whitworth said it's important to practice safety measures like not working alone, relying on solid information and working to understand the demeanor of certain animals.
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