To think the de-horning of cattle in the New Forest to protect walkers is wrong?

Alexa Have you been to the New Forest at all? Your comment seems very ignorant. People live there - lots of people. The cattle and the ponies roam freely. It's not just a matter of pompously stating that people should 'stay home and save fuel'. How bloody self-righteous.

Well as someone who loves to walk in forests, I would say keep the horns on the cows. How awful to even contemplate dehorning them.

We're turning into such a nanny state!

I'd advocate for rewilding, too, if it weren't for humans stupidly wanting to destroy wildlife.

Oh, shut the bloody things in sheds put a fence round them.

Wouldn't want pain inflicted on animals, but places like the New Forest are for people to enjoy. If anyone wants to keep animals like that, they should keep them away from people. Buy their own bit of land, and to hell with 'Commoners rights'.

ps to my post - I wouldn't agree to de-horning cattle. Or deer.

I live in the area quite surprised this has made the national press.

A friend of mine nearly died when one of her cows attacked her. And, of the three farms in our village two of the farmers wives have been seriously injured in the past by cattle. They are dangerous creatures.

I agree with Bluebell.
But I wonder about the wisdom of allowing public access to areas such as the New Forest. Which seems to be open to cattle and deer.
People and cattle aren't a good mix. Deer are usually more timid, but not in the rutting season.

Dehorning is not going to make the New Forest safer separating walkers from cattle is the only way to do that. Walkers that take dogs through areas with cattle are really stupid and I have no sympathy, trampling is going to do much more damage than horns.

btw, antlers of deer and horns of cattle are completely different. Horn is mostly keratin (like hooves) but antlers are bone growing directly from the skull, so making a direct comparison with dehorning or disbudding is a false equivalence.

cattle do not need horns to kill people - they 'bunt' you and then crush you. Stay away and keep dogs away - leave go of dogs if you are attacked by cattle. Suckler herds can be much more dangerous than bulls.

No leave them alone people need to adjust to the animal world when walking in their domaine
I wouldn’t walk anywhere near cattle that are not fenced in they are big beasts compared to a little person

It's difficult if there are public footpaths going through where cattle are. I can't help thinking about this poor woman. www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-49775279

I agree, it's wrong why do people need to walk where these cattle are,keep away and keep dogs on leads anyway

We have deer in Bushy Park. At the moment it is the rutting season and the stags can get quite aggressive, going for dogs and sometimes people. A car was recently attacked by a stag in Richmond Park. No one suggests that they should have their antlers off. People just need to use their common sense and not get too near the cows.

PS tourists should stay at home and save fuel.

I agree horns on cattle are decorative. But walkers' safety in more important. There aren't any elephants in the New Forrest as far as I know .

It's part of their character, Alexa. Would you agree with removing tusks from elephants to protect tourists on safari?

As long as each animal gets a local anaesthetic