The danger of cows to walkers.

The woman did have a dog with her which was killed. She had over 30 breaks to her ribs and is still in constant pain

I read that sharks kill about six people a year - and so do cows.

If there is a public footpath on farm land the farmer is responsible for making sure there are no dangerous animals in the field. Cows are at their most dangerous when they have calves so, strictly speaking should not be in a field where there is a public footpath.

Coco51. Quite!

There is a public footpath beside our local river, that follows the river from the sea right into the Sussex Weald.

We met a chap last year after not seeing him for absolutely ages, and he told us that he’d been attacked by a number of cows and was recovering from broken ribs and collar bone. He had sued the farmer. Not sure if he succeeded.

I'm a farmer's daughter and happily walked past all sorts of livestock when I was growing up and on public footpaths when we lived in Devon. My father did warm me though to avoid cows with a calf and of course bulls. I've never been frightened of cows,or had an incident, but would be careful to check out if any calves or a bull.

I'm a cattle farmer and I do what you do if walking with my dogs, cowswith calves do not like feeling threatened by the presence of 'wolves' ..also where cows are put to graze is to do with the grass available and the water supply for the cattle,and some fields shut off for hay or silage ' resting' the ground etc.. and some farms like ours have so many Footpaths that there's hardly a field to put cattle in where they won't be disturbed..Carry a stick, keep as far as possible from the cattle, and take a diversion, I never tell people off for walking off the footpath if they are avoiding cattle, they are being sensible

Why should fields used for cattle have paths in them? Divert paths, why are they in fields? If you want to explore then you take the risk. Do you walk through industrial, building sites, some of which are in beautiful scenic areas. No, these are usually fenced off for security and safety. Why tramp through a field which is usually fenced and used by cattle, they are not pets, not expected in any law to be trained to avoid humans. Surely its humans who should avoid these animals. Stop wandering through those areas.

It's illegal to have a dairy breed eg Friesian bull in a field with a footpath unless iits fenced off Dairy bulls are more aggressive than beef bulls but I've had a horrid experience with a charolais/ limousin bull on my own farm moving him with our dairy cows. Basically my husband managed to whack him on the rump when the bull had me cornered by a fence , heavily pregnant and unable to climb it, so the bull jumped round but my husband kept behind him and whacked him all the way back to yard..I've never helped move bulls again since that episode over 30 years ago. I sat on the ground and cried. I could have lost my baby..

As a walker living in North Yorkshire I am aware of several local cases of cows trampling walkers. I won't go in a field with cows unless accompanied by several brave men!

I was bought up in the countryside and I would never walk in a field where there are cows.

Longhorn cattle graze at a number of locations in Epping Forest where we love to walk. They are 'employed' to improve the biodiversity of the forest. They are gentle creatures, even timid and I have never thought to be afraid when we've come across them, even with a dog in tow. Invisible fencing technology is used to keep them within their designated areas.

I used to walk my DC to the local village school on the footpath through a farmer’s field. As one person said I was unaware cows could be dangerous. The toddler used to wave arms and shoo them off if they were standing on the footpath. There were only about 10 of them and very placid, the bull in the farmyard though was a different beast entirely and was never near a public right of way. We sometimes had encounters with so-called ‘friendly’ dogs off the lead and their irresponsible owners but never with cattle.

In answer to what makes cattle attack, many things do, but mostly fear, fear of an unknown object acting in a way they do not understand. Some cattle will attack if they feel trapped, and to a cow feeling trapped can mean having an unknown object between them and where they are used to going.
I realise that there are authorised walking trails that go through rural property but really people, use common sense, if a walking trail lead to a dead end cliff would you walk over it just because it was authorised. Pick a walk that does not go through fields or find out if they are occupied or do you all just wander around willy nilly without knowing your surroundings?

Do you walk through industrial, building sites, some of which are in beautiful scenic areas.

Why shouldn’t you, 4allweknow, if there’s a public right of way?
Any building contractor would be obliged by the terms of their contract for health and safety reasons to provide a footpath diversion.

Kartush, yes, sadly - some people really do wander about (often with dogs off lead) totally unaware of their surroundings and any potential danger.

I always avoid fields with cows because they can be dangerous. I see no reason why footpaths cannot be fenced as no planning consent is needed but if course it's expensive for the farmer: perhaps there should be grants from government for it. Nor do I see why footpaths should not be diverted (I know some walkers have an ideological objection) but this requires an Order and is not simply a matter for the farmer acting alone.

It's often financially impossible for farmers to divert and fence footpaths. Firstly, fencing and it's upkeep is extraordinarily expensive. Secondly, herds are moved throughout farmer's land, to provide a continued supply of grass for as long as possible through the year. Therefore they'd have to fence every field the path encroaches on. Thirdly, planners often refuse the farmer's request to reroute a footpath to a route with less impact on their land. Rerouting would often also mean the installation of access points such as stiles, to prevent gates being left open.

I know of too many farmers who have not just sheep but also cattle attacked by loose dogs. When you enter a field with previously disinterested cattle, you cannot pressume they'll be disinterested or friendly every time. Once animals have felt threatened by humans or their pets, they're far more likely to become dangerous the next time their field is entered.

Pick a walk that does not go through fields or find out if they are occupied or do you all just wander around willy nilly without knowing your surroundings

No. We look at the Ordnance Survey map, and plot a route using public rights of way (helpfully designated in green to indicate their status).
The 1:25000 map does indicate field boundaries, but not whether they will be used for grazing on that particular day.

Some people seem to assume that farmers automatically have the financial means of spending thousands of pounds on fencing. Some might , but many live on a pittance. They are grazing their cattle on their own land.
A little empathy would not go amiss from walker who have many choices about where they walk. The farmers only have the land immediately around them (usually) to graze their herds.

The farmer here always posts a notice at field entrances warning that the cows have calves…..this is when they are most likely to attack. So we don’t go in the field! Dogs can be a red rag to cows…..so don’t keep them on the lead…they can usually out run cows whereas you can’t! If your dog leaves the cows alone they will leave you alone. If your dog can’t be trusted with farm animals don’t walk on farmland…..farmers still have the right to shoot a cattle worrying dog. Common sense needs to prevail.

Simple really keep out of fields that have livestock in them just cos there's a public right of way doesn't mean you have to use it use your commonsense

Why do we have to turn this place into even more of a nanny state. If people can’t respect rural life and look after them they really shouldn’t be allowed out

Use a bit of common sense and stay out of any fields that have cows and calves in for a start.
It might be classed as a footpath, but doesn't mean that the farmer should stop using what is his land for it's full use, including putting livestock on it!
I certainly wouldn't go in any field with a dog and let it off it's lead - when all is said and done, the only place that you have a right to be on is the actual path . Some people see a field as free space and allow their dog to roam freely including allowing it to leave a pile and not clear it up after.
Cows have died by eating the dog poo when eating the grass it has been left on, not to mention the bags of poo that have so kindly either been left on the ground or slung into bushes and trees as a form of decoration!

Cows are not just dangerous to walkers in fields. In a recent A and E tv programme a farmer was suddenly attacked by one of his cows, and badly injured. The cow as one he knew well, and there was no apparent reason why it attacked him. Luckily his wife managed to chase it away from him before he was killed.