Five dollars and a little patience could have changed Ray Murphy's life completely.
In September 2009, Murphy, who owns Murphy Livestock based in Bonnyville suffered an injury that left him almost completely paralyzed when he tried tagging a bull.
He recalled what it was like to lie on the cold earth, unable to move.
"I felt like a football laying there,î Murphy said.
Murphy was sharing his injury experience at the Canadian Agricultural Safety Week launch at the Pomeroy Inn and Suites in Olds on March 11.
The event was hosted by the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) and the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) and meant to raise awareness about farm safety.
The launch included a luncheon, speeches by agriculture safety experts and workshops.
"I know that it's a high-risk area,î Murphy said about farming. "We're always climbing over something, under something that's not meant to be done but you do it because it needs to be done. And you're putting yourself at risk all the time.
"And traditionally, we put ourselves at risk more than we should. We should think more about our safety and people around us because life is fragile and it's precious and you don't always get a second chance.î
Every animal headed for slaughter must be electronically tagged to trace its place of origin. If the animal is found defective, inspectors can find out where it came from.
Cattle are tagged as calves but the ear tags are usually lost by maturity and need to be replaced.
To do so, the animal goes through a cage-like tool called a "squeeze chute,î meant to secure it for whatever work needs to be done. The device has a head-gate to keep the animal's head upright.
Leading up to Murphy's squeeze chute was a runway, with a platform along the sides, on which he stood. His chute wasn't big enough to accommodate a mature bull, weighing about 910 kg.
"In frustration and lack of patience, I decided I should bend over and tag him. I think as soon as I tagged him, he pulled me off balance,î he said.
Right then, as he tried applying the tag, which required piercing the bull's ear, the animal suddenly bucked its head, throwing Murphy backward.
Murphy was left almost completely paralyzed. At the time, he could move a single toe, he said.
He spent three months in hospital and three months in rehab in Edmonton.
A year after his injury, Murphy said he participated in three research projects into spinal cord injuries at the University of Alberta.
Currently, Murphy still uses a wheelchair but can stand, feed himself and walk short distances.
One of the most important things Murphy wanted to tell those in attendance was to avoid working alone.
At the time, he had a farmhand whom he sent away for another task. Had the worker been present, Murphy said he could have suggested safer options.
"Or maybe he would have said, this is ridiculous. Let's just take the tag and the bull to town and give the auction mart the five dollars they charge to put it in a hydraulic squeeze and apply the tag,î he said.
He said that accidents like his affect everyone. His wife was beside him daily and his sister stayed with him. His children took on extra responsibility for the farm and friends helped with fundraising efforts.
Considering this, people should slow down, stop and think of the consequences of unsafe work, he urged the crowd.
Murphy finished by saying that for those who've been hurt on the farm, there is "life after injury.î
While he hasn't done any farm work since 2009, he's going to keep busy in retirement.
With his wife, he's bought a furniture store in Bonnyville and they plan to turn it into housing for people with disabilities.
"I'm 63 but I've got lots of things I'd like to see done or be involved with," Murphy said. "I'm a positive person and I know my life has changed. But it's not over and I'm better off now than what I probably thought I was going to be when I was laying there thinking, oh boy, this is a life-changing accident I just had.î
