A pastoral company has defended its safety standards after a man was fatally gored by a buffalo at a property south of Adelaide.
Strath Pastoral says the man, aged in his 70s, was a stock delivery handler and not employed by the company.
He was attacked while unloading the dairy buffalo from his truck in what the company described as a freak accident.
"While he was not a staff member at Strath Pastoral, the company has been in contact with the farmer who had engaged the stock handler," Strath Pastoral said on Friday.
"Strath Pastoral adheres to very stringent workplace safety procedures and will be working closely with SafeWork SA in coming days to assist with any investigation."
The incident occurred on Thursday night. The man was treated by paramedics at the scene and then airlifted to the Flinders Medical Centre.
He died soon after from his injuries.
Police will prepare a report for the state coroner and SafeWork SA investigators have gone to the property at Strathalbyn, about 60 kilometres southeast of Adelaide.
Strath Pastoral said its thoughts were with the family of the dead man.
