A Fife farmer has told of the moment he was nearly killed after being crushed by an 800kg cow.
Euan Baird was giving medicine to dozens of calves on his family farm in Newburgh when the incident happened on April 19.
A cow desperate to reach its calf suddenly pushed past him within a tight handling area, leaving him with nowhere to go.
800kg animal snapped Euan’s pelvis
The weight of the animal crushed his body and broke his pelvis in four places.
Euan says the rear of his pelvic frame felt like it had sunk into his legs, causing sudden and immense pain.
After his cousin Scott Baird called 999, a helicopter from Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA), based in Perth, was at the farm in about 15 minutes.
Paramedics administered pain relief and he was then driven round to the waiting helicopter by a crew from the Scottish Ambulance Service.
The 52-year-old dad-of-one, who helps run Ninewells Farm, said: “I’ve carried out oral drenching of calves hundreds of times before.
“Nothing like this has ever happened but it’s always a risk when you separate a mother from its calf. They were a month old at the time and she was only worried for it.
“She would have killed me if she had tried to push right past me — there was nowhere for me to go.
“Just for a minute she was on top of me but thankfully she went back and didn’t try to completely crush me. I was really lucky.
“I knew straight away it was a serious injury and I wasn’t going to walk away from it – I could feel my pelvis had snapped.”
Metal implants used to stabilise bones
Euan was airlifted to Ninewells Hospital where doctors discovered breaks in his pelvis at the front and rear, before he was given complex surgery to stabilise the bone.
Metal implants, which now hold the bone in place, will need to be removed in a few months and Euan needs crutches to walk.
He will likely be out of action for the rest of the year, unable to carry out work on the farm, including driving his tractor or car.
However, he is expected to make a full recovery.
His cousin is taking on the extra work with the help of a retired neighbour.
Euan praised all those who helped him in both the emergency response and at hospital, including the nurses in Ward 9 at Ninewells who he described as “absolutely amazing”.
He is urging people to support SCAA, with the charity mostly paid for by donations from the public.
The organisation marks its ninth anniversary this week, which is also national SCAA Week – when fundraisers across the country are supporting its life-saving work.
“I think I’d have passed out from the pain if they hadn’t gotten there so quickly,” he said.
“It’s just an incredible service. Hopefully I won’t need them again of course but I know they attend incidents all the time and it’s so important it’s there for anyone when they need it.
“It’s going to be tough being out of the game for so long but I’m getting there slowly but surely.
“We’ve got a nine-year-old boy and my wife Kate works so it is full on for her unfortunately.
“Hopefully I’ll be back on my feet and working on the farm soon.”
Conversation