The danger of cows to walkers.

I read about the poor lady near Masham. Yes she had a dog with her on the lead. We also had a headteacher killed near near us in North Yorkshire this last year and he was an experienced walker.
I don’t think we can expect farmers to provide miles of fencing to keep us safe but I would not enter a field full of cows! Either go a different way or turn around. I know it’s annoying sometimes but better than being seriously injured proving a point that you have a right of way!

People seem to be losing sight of the fact that livestock are a farmer's livelihood.
That people like to stroll around fields is secondary.
If you're afraid of cows, take a walk elsewhere.

Lilyflower

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

Not sure what point you're making here but as there are far more people on land than water, this makes cows far less dangerous.

One of my great grandmothers was trampled to death by a cow with a calf, apparently by accident. She lived in the countryside and it was a huge shock to the family.

As a child on holiday we were walking through a field and were chased by a herd of bullocks. It was very frightening and I’ve been wary of walking through fields with cows ever since, public footpath or not. Living near Richmond Park as a teen, we were well aware of the notices advising of rutting season for red deer and kept well away.

It’s obviously a very difficult issue but perhaps farmers could put up warning notices when cattle are present in fields that also have public footpaths. Dog owners should always have their dogs on leads whilst walking in the countryside.

A lot of posters do not seem to understand what it it is to follow a hiking trail through countryside!
We follow public footpaths, many on a designated trail.
We do not wake up one day and decide to go tramping across random fields.
The trails have been planned, way marked and mapped so anyone can go and enjoy the benefits of walking in the great British countryside.
Sadly this is not always possible because of cattle.
More deaths/injuries seem to be occurring and I feel the matter needs to be raised.

Part of the problem here is ignorance.
All animals are dangerous in certain circumstances and that includes humans.
There is a lot of talk about 'public footpaths' most of these are NOT public at all, they are merely a right of way over private land.
Fencing is not an option, who would maintain this, it's bad enough to incur the expense of keeping the footpath clear. Originally the paths were clear because they were walked by the local population on their way to work in the fields.
Moving the paths is not easy either as the local council and landowners would have to agree to this and again who would foot the Bill for the legal costs.

I have had to move cows out of my garden and back in to their field on several occasions. I throw my arms wide and make some noise and they meekly go where I ask. I do wish walkers would close gates.
I wouldn’t enter a field where cows have calves or where there is a bull.

Raised with whom?
Do you seriously expect farmers to be legally obliged to spend thousands on fencing just so you’re not interrupted in following your carefully planned trail (perish the thought)?

This reminded me of our route to school in the 1950’s. From five years old we would walk through a field along a concrete pathway and there was usually a herd of cows and a couple of horses in there. I recall being terrified of the horses and would run like a bat out of hell if there was one near to the path. It wasn’t for many years later I discovered it was the cows I should have been wary of.

I agree Sago.
I’m surprised that so many don’t seem to value our ancient rights and those fought for more recently by the Kinder Scout Mass Trespass of 1932 and the Countryside and Rights of Way Act of 2000.

In 1990 I went for a walk with SiL and neice in pushchair and took shortcut across field on a proper Public Footpath I checked for cows etc before entering huge sloped field. We walked along defined path to about 2/3 across when I noticed about 15-20 young heifers running down field towards us! Then as I watched in a split second they literally hit full stampede speed!! We picked up pushchair between us and RAN! We have to throw niece over five bar gate at end of path and we both vaulted over as the heifers literally crashed headlong into gate!!! No signs but they had been concealed I a ha-ha type of a dip in top filed so we couldn't see them .BUT! This is a public footpath. A designated route ancient track etc etc. So why do farmers, in fact these are bought purely for fattening then selling on for slaughter not really a farmer's stock ,they could be anyone's really, why allowed to dump them where people are going to walk without warn in my signs?
On another note, all those attacked appear to have been stupid in crossing or going near cows with a dog in tow!! Really? Dogs are predators even ducks will follow a dog along a towpath to keep them in sight as they fear attack!

If anyone finds themselves in a bad place and has a dog- cut it loose! Dog will be fine and gives you a chance to get away, also run in zig zag

I’d never enter a field where cows and calves are grazing. Yes it sometimes means doubling back on a walk but if that’s Frye worst that happens to you that day, smile.
Some fields have right of way, other public footpaths. Some of our local farmers put sign up advising an alternative route - others tun an electric fence leaving a path between the hedge and the electric fence, along with a sign advising walkers to keep to the hedge- cows and calves grazing.
I never saw this till lockdown 1 when our usually quiet walks became very busy.
Farmers are earning a living, we are enjoying our right to roam and should respect the farmers.

As for the increase in untrained off lead dogs chasing sheep ?

A right of way means that people are allowed to walk it; it does not mean that it is a public amenity that farmers should have to fence off at vast expense. They are running a business - it is their livelihood. All they are obliged to do is not to obstruct it with e.g. a fence. Walkers have to use their common sense and take proper precautions around livestock.

As a seven year old townie moved to country in 1964 we went to a local beauty spot to paddle, I turned to see a MASSIVE cow coming towards me down stream , actually just having a drink and not bothering me, but I let rip the biggest scream ever in terror me it bolted luckily away from me, then in my panic ran across grass on what I thought was a stepping stone- it was a baked cowpat!!! Full of maggots YUKKITY YUK YUK! still hate cows.......

“Bulls of recognised dairy breeds (eg Ayrshire, Friesian, Holstein, Dairy Shorthorn, Guernsey, Jersey and Kerry) are in all circumstances banned from being at large in fields crossed by public rights of way. Do not keep them in fields with public rights of way, statutory or other types of permitted access.”

www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/ais17ew.pdf

I cannot understand the mentality of people who walk through fields of cows with a dog in tow.

This isn’t the first time something like this has happened.
The woman in question this week was a retired police woman or ex army. I couldn’t believe how stupid and thoughtless she was.
It was utterly horrible and so avoidable.

I have walked through a field of cows and they didn’t take a blind bit of notice. If, on the other hand I had a dog- then who knows.

Blondiescot

A quick Google search will bring up a number of instances where people were injured by cows without any dogs being involved. It appears that Jeremy Clarkson was injured by his own cows just earlier this year too!

Yes get to close to a cow, or horse, especially with a sudden movement, they will kick out. As many a farmer will attest.

Lincslass

Blondiescot

A quick Google search will bring up a number of instances where people were injured by cows without any dogs being involved. It appears that Jeremy Clarkson was injured by his own cows just earlier this year too!

Yes get to close to a cow, or horse, especially with a sudden movement, they will kick out. As many a farmer will attest.

Having grown up in the country and been around horses all my life, I am more than aware of this, thank you.

Well put MaisieD.
Like you I was born and brought up in the countryside.
We always say a lot of people think it's just a 'themepark for townies'. They don't realise it's a working environment.

I (now knowing it was a very stupid thing to do) walked with my small children and dog (on a lead) through a field following a public right of way. However we couldn't see a small herd of cows which were initially out of sight behind some bushes.

We were talking and looking at the ground when suddenly looking up I saw cows rounding the bushes and coming towards us. I instinctively knew I had to let the dog off the lead, hoping the cows would chase the fast moving animal. I told my child to run as fast as they could to the hedge and scooping up the smallest did likewise. Whilst the cows carried on chasing the dog we made our escape to a gate and safety.

No damage was done as the cows did indeed chase the dog (didn't catch him) but this was around 45 years ago and I have never forgotten the terror. It really is a frightening thing, although I accept I should not have entered the field. Lesson very definitely learned.

Yep l stand by what I initially said a lot of people and their opinions are ignorant!
“lm allowed so l will”

If you don’t even know how a dairy cow reproduces her young then you need to study a bit more, really ?.

Sago

A lot of posters do not seem to understand what it it is to follow a hiking trail through countryside!
We follow public footpaths, many on a designated trail.
We do not wake up one day and decide to go tramping across random fields.
The trails have been planned, way marked and mapped so anyone can go and enjoy the benefits of walking in the great British countryside.
Sadly this is not always possible because of cattle.
More deaths/injuries seem to be occurring and I feel the matter needs to be raised.

As I pointed out, our local field is part of a pilgrim route. People are actually directed away from the path through the village into this field. It’s a long field and there’s nowhere to go if the cows did attack as the path goes right through the centre of the field. There is a sign on the gate warning about the bull. People are always walking between cows and their calves. It really worries me.

Some have said that cattle have become more aggressive, I think it's known that the number of dogs has increased as a result of lockdown and I wonder if people wandering around with a dog off the lead are partly responsible.

I have owned dogs all my life and the majority of people I see with dogs now have no idea how to manage them. There is a problem for the farmers too with the spread of a dog related disease called Neospora which causes early abortion in cattle. I live in a rural area and there are frequently reports of cattle having to be destroyed as a result. There are now also regular reports of sheep being chased by dogs.

The countryside is the workplace of farmers, respect needs to exist on both sides. The maintenance of rights of way is important but most farmers care for their animals and have to manage the grazing on their land.

My most frightening experience was being chased by a horse as it happens! Animals loose in fields are not pets but perhaps contact with animals for the bulk of the population is now limited to pets so people don't understand that large animals in fields are different. Horse owners, for instance, often have to put up notices asking people not to feed the horses or put grass cuttings over the fence. It's not just cattle.

I can’t believe someone said they should be fenced within the field. They are fenced in. In the farmers field. Entitled or what