Cows on walking routes!

[SquashedFlyBiscuit]

Can anyone advise me about staying safe when walking through cows?

There is land near me we like to walk on (National Trust but not a "property" and not busy) that often had cows on it, but today they were in the main bit between us and the car. Also there is a council owned area we like to walk in that has zones the cattle graze in - these are usually nowhere near us but occasionally theres a couple of cows on the path.

Some of them have horns which scars me, alhough google has just reassured me its not so much the horns ti be scared of as the trampling to death....

I know cattle attacks are rare, and usually towards people with dogs. Hoeever where we walk often has lots of dog walkers.

I've become far more anxious this year and now want to know what I ought to do if walking through a field with kids and cows are walking over to see us. Or how to walk through a field with cows in it safely....

Thanks for the reassurance (mostly) people :)

Cows are naturally quite curious and it’s not unusual for them to follow you. So don’t be scared by that. Every time I’ve been followed across a field if you stop and walk towards them they back off. My mum always said to sing to cows. She had a special cow singing song which they seem to like.

I think the two scenarios you describe are likely to be fine. I’ve only ever had trouble with larky bullocks that weren’t handled much, and were in fields with seldom-used paths. Definitely curiosity rather than aggression, but it doesn’t much matter which if thirty bullocks are galloping down a steep slope towards you, because the ones at the front will stop, but the back ones cannon into them!

And yes, cows with calves.

Just walk through. If they get too close, wave your arms and say 'GAH!' Never fails.

As a country girl I'm afraid I'm another saying be careful. Cows are very nosey. Imagine lots of big dogs looking at you thinking you've got a dog biscuit. We were chased as kids for taking a shortcut through a cow field while buying loo roll for mum - the cows wanted to know what it was and chased us for it

Don't ever run if you get in trouble. Turn to face them, make yourself big and project confidence.

Personally I'd find somewhere else to walk!

If its an adult or 2 adults then just walk and dont make sudden movements. Do not take children or pets through them though under any circumstances.

Also animals in fields don't get much human contact nowadays as farmers zoom round on quadbikes, they aren't Farmer Giles with his dog and a stick, walking through the cows checking them regularly.

Walk calmly round the edge, if they have calves I'd probably avoid altogether and take the long route

Just walk calmly through. If I’m running I always announce myself by saying ‘hello cows, coming through now etc’ as I go through the fields so they aren’t startled.

Cattle are the nosiest creatures. They will follow you just to see what you are doing.

I hate cows! I have been known to take big detours to avoid them! What I would say though is, in my limited experience, cows on popular walking routes are used to people and tend to ignore them, the problems seem to arise on less used footpaths.

They make me nervous too after a herd chased my dog when I was a child (it was more like they were fascinated by him than trying to kill him or anything, but still bloody scary).

One thing to look out for is if they are new cows (as in newly out in the field). Then they can be skittish and I would personally avoid the field altogether.

Otherwise I'd just walk slowly and calmly, and keep away from them (going off the path of necessary if that's where they are). And yy to carrying a big stick for use only if necessary.

There shouldn't be bulls in a field with a footpath, that's against the law (there may be bullocks (young males) though).

I used to live near a dairy farm. Walk by the hedge around the field. Takes longer but is much safer. If you do feel threatened, do not run, diving into a prickly hedge will be less damaging than trampling.

@Ifailed is right, cows are incredibly curious and if you start running that's when they will come over because you are doing something interesting. Walk very calmly and be as boring as you can and they will most probably ignore you.

I say an interesting video on YouTube of a guy that owned cows and he showed different examples of walking through his field and when he started running/shouting/waving his arms around they came rushing over otherwise they left him alone.

I work in A+E, cows attacks are more common than you think, I've seen many cow related injuries! And we they trample they are deadly. Stay away

I was walking once and I think the cows misstook me for the farmer, I got to the otherside of the field and as I turned to climb the gate I found they had silently followed me! Got quite a shock they were just right there staring at me lol

I would find somewhere else to walk.

You don’t know the stock. Yes dairy cows can be more docile (but dairy bulls can be well nasty)
It’s not just bullocks that can be grumpy, some farmers are calving round here and Mum’s can be very protective of their calves. Gosh we had a tup (male sheep) who would try and kill me every time I went to feed him.

Just don’t walk in a field with stock. Simple.

They reckon foot and mouth disease was started by someone walking in a field with stock and dropping food which the cattle ate (a calf died last week cause someone dropped a packet of crisps and the calf ate it).
I’m certain you are responsible walker and would never do this.
I’m sure you’ll agree that’s the last thing this country needs.

Please remember that the countryside is a working place and a business for many people and injuries and deaths are not rare. It is a busy time with lambs, calves, goats kids, chicks and ducklings and alpaca crias being born all over the country.
Nice to look at from the other side of the fence for the time being perhaps.

As a country girl I avoid fields with cows. I believe you are not supposed to put dangerous livestock in fields with public rights of way but there's no way of knowing. The best thing to do is walk steadily onwards and if you have a dog, be prepared to drop the lead and let the dog run. They are normally more interested in the dog than you, plus dog will have a better chance of outrunning them and escaping through a hedge. Making yourself appear bigger by swinging your arms out will keep them back and buy you time to get to the gate or stile.

I'm a country girl and I try and avoid field with cows. If it is essential, I give them a very wide berth - I never walk through the herd, always round it, no matter how big a detour that necessitates.

I live rurally - literally 5 mins walk from fields with cows etc - and I’m shocked by all the replies telling you it’s okay to walk through a field with cows in it! We would never do this! It’s so dangerous. There are so many local stories of people being attacked by cows - trampled etc- it’s really not worth the risk. We pass fields with cows in on all our walks but they’re always behind barbed wire fences. I would never walk through a field with them in it, not worth the risk.

If there are cows and calves together in a field I would avoid it altogether tbh.

If it's just a few cows, walk slowly, no sudden movements. They might come towards you to investigate, that's ok, don't speed up or shout or anything. Be boring and they'll lose interest.

If it's a field with a lot of cows in, I usually stick to the edge the whole way even if the path goes through the middle.

The people who get trampled generally have dogs with them. Don't take a dog into a field of cows.

Avalanchekit, I though your post was funny!

Most young cows/ bulls are just curious and will follow walkers, it can be alarming. If you face them and wave your arms they will generally back off.

In rough order of ascending danger: dairy cows in milk, heifers, bullocks, cows with calves, bulls, Jersey bulls. The last are absolute arseholes.

Dairy bulls aren't allowed in fields loose generally (they are nasty). Beef bulls generally won't bother you if they are out with cows, but it's quite rare now to have bulls (most farmers use AI).

Young bullocks can get lairy and excited, but they generally won't hurt you they'll just leap about at a distance. Dairy cows will come up and blow at you, but start back if you turn round and stamp a foot at them!

Walk close to an escape route if you are nervous, don't walk through cows with calves, keep an eye over your shoulder and carry a stick! Generally though, a loud shout is enough to stop over-inquisitive cows from getting too close.