Another walker killed by cows…..is there a solution?

I used to have a Jersey/Angus cross heifer that would hurdle a Cornish hedge like a Grand National winner. We passed her on to a farmer who would use her for breeding in the hope that family life would calm her down a bit.

Caleo

Is a farm with a lot of public rights of way reduced in price to buy or rent? I ask because the famer must have a lot of extra expense with fencing off the rights of way and warning notices about 1. dangerous animals 2. Don't feed my animals 3. Litter harms my animals so do not drop litter 4. Keep dogs on the lead. 5. Do not climb on my fences

I imagine a farm well away from centres of population and rights of way will cost a little more to buy or rent.

Temporary fencing posts and tape are quite cheap and are part of anyone's basic kit if you have stock. Cattle will stay behind a single strand of tape even if it's not electrified, horses and ponies can be a real pain (I've had ponies that would push through a fence with a decent current running through it if they were feeling peckish and sheep are an absolute pita as they need very good fencing and will eat their way through hedging even when there's plenty of grass. I've had all three in my fields over the years and cattle are the easiest to keep behind a fence, equines come second and sheep are a definite third....unless you include goats!

As a child, I often walked through field of cows. No dog, no calves. I never gave it a thought and neither, it seemed, did the cows. They more or less ignored me.

Is a farm with a lot of public rights of way reduced in price to buy or rent? I ask because the famer must have a lot of extra expense with fencing off the rights of way and warning notices about 1. dangerous animals 2. Don't feed my animals 3. Litter harms my animals so do not drop litter 4. Keep dogs on the lead. 5. Do not climb on my fences

I imagine a farm well away from centres of population and rights of way will cost a little more to buy or rent.

I notice often sheep are overwintered at other farms where the farmer seems to have no problem in putting electric fencing temporarily round the field whilst the sheep are there.

Pay for all the fencing and maintenance then, as a farmer with a Clapham Junction of footpaths across our land , no where to graze cattle..I always tell people to take any detour they like, I won't complain ..

Farmers move cattle for good reasons. We were stopped by a local farmer who advised we walk his lane rather than through the right of way field our route usually took. He said sorry, had to move the cows and calves, can you use the lane then re-join - we did.
I’d never go into a. Field with cattle. Farmers round here work very hard, we have a lot of open countryside and moorland. The moorland is home to endless sheep and deer so my daft young dog stays on his lead

Sorry typing on phone - if in doubt, don’t!

Life is all about the choices we make. Sad though it is, these incidents with cattle are tragic accidents and avoidable if you take away the risk by avoiding the situation but many of us would willing choose to balence that risk against choosing to do what we want to do and the majority will come to no harm. I strongly believe that if your instict is to avoid something even if it looks ok then avoid it. Its up to individuals at the end of the day.

I certainly didn’t argue, just presented the law as on Gov.UK with a suggestion that if people wished to challenge that, to lobby their MP. The law is what it is, whether YOU like it or not.
I’m well aware that some landowners shirk responsibility for maintaining access. I’m aware that some will not put up warnings nor an electric fence - neither of which are actually required in law on public footpaths.
There’s a balance of responsibility here - I in doubt, don’t. And report situations of concern to your local authority who will investigate.

My husband was employed as Head Forrester on two large estates and also learnt a lot about farming in college. According to him the greatest number of fatalities come from people trying to protect their dogs. If the animals come for you, let your dog GO. The dog can get away, as it also has four legs. You can't. Common sense, consideration and tolerance are needed from landowners and public alike. I always pick up dog poo anywhere there are - or maybe - livestock. It's sad, but I guess there is danger everywhere and walking in the country is probably safer than bombing down a motorway!

All animals are territorial. If you enter their space, you risk being attacked. Too many people think they are entitled to do as they please. Farmers have no choice but to allow people to walk on their land, but it's their livelihood. People should show the same respect as they would as walking through someone's garden.

Thank goodness some people have commented that the public have a legal right to walk on a footpath and the farmer has a responsibility to ensure they are safe when doing so. I thought I was the only one! Let me say again, it is sometimes not possible to avoid using a footpath. We frequently take holidays with out dog, plan circuit routes using designated footpaths. They are often day walks with a stop at a pub for lunch. We frequently come across footpaths that are not marked as such (illegal), blocked (illegal) been moved (illegal) go through fields containing stock (not illegal but the farmer has a legal responsibility to make it SAFE for walkers). It is not up to the walker to deviate onto private land (trespassing) . If someone has walked most of the day and is within a mile or two or their destination, it isn't possible to turn round and come back when the cattle have gone. I have a very well trained dog who will "sit, stay" off lead so I can go through a field and call him through when I am safely across, but most people can't do this. Just put up a temporary fence, put a sign up at each end of the footpath so people know there are cattle with calves at foot and if possible make another route that is temporary but safe. it is not just common sense it is a legal requirement to ensure walkers are safe.

Public footpath on a sign means it’s a Public Right of Way as listed on the Definitive Map drawn up many years ago. It means what it says on the tin … the public have a legal Right of Way. I’m talking as a retired Parish Clerk who had to deal with many footpath issues. My favourite was one which was found to go straight through someone’s bungalow!!!

It should be possible for a farmer to graze stock with calves at heel in a field without a right of way across it. Neither should a bull be in such a field. They have plenty of alternative options.

Some farmers are bolshy though and do not like the public on their land. And who can blame them? Some members of the public have no thought for others.

When someone is killed or injured by a cow attack then the incident should go to court. Blame should be apportioned so that the farming community and the walking public each be aware of their responsibilities.

I find some of the attitudes about this astounding tbh. If there is a public footpath then it should be safe for people to walk through. If it isn’t then there should be signs warning that it’s dangerous and extreme caution should be used. As someone else pointed out if you had a dog on your land that was killing people walking on a public footpath you’d be in trouble.

If I was out walking and saw a sign saying Public Footpath then I would naturally assume I could use it. It’s about time something was done about it as people are being killed and seriously injured every year by cows.

Good post Eloethan Some people seem to be of the opinion that owners of vast tracts of land are doing the general public a favour in allowing them access - partly on the grounds that we wouldn't want people to have free access to our back gardens. Surely that it is a completely different scenario? where there s a public right of way the owners know this and should respect it, and are obligated to make it safe. All the arguments about private gardens, factories etc is just nonsense. If the deeds of my house indicate that there is a public right of way across my back garden then I have to respect that and accept strangers walking through, but keeping to the designated path. Don't like that prospect? then don't buy that property. If you inherit land that has public access, just be grateful for your good fortune in having an inheritance that many would like.

Half of England is owned by less than 1 per cent of the population, and there is a right to roam on just 8 per cent of England's land, and only 4 per cent of rivers can legally be navigated. The only place where wild camping is legal is Dartmoor (and I believe there are proposals that this be changed).

Now there seems to be an implication that people should be eternally grateful for any rights they have in relation to access to land. People who, in accordance with the law, walk through a field of cattle have been portrayed as having only themselves to blame if something untoward happens. Surely there should be warning signs? People generally don't think of cows as being dangerous and, from childhood, cows are often portrayed as gentle, non-confrontational animals.

Some people seem to be of the opinion that owners of vast tracts of land are doing the general public a favour in allowing them access - partly on the grounds that we wouldn't want people to have free access to our back gardens. Surely that it is a completely different scenario?

Do we ever hear of people being killed by cows who don’t have a dog or dogs with them?

My father was an experienced freshwater angler and and often fished near cows and normally was never bothered by them, but on one occasion as he was leaving, a herd of cows charged him. He ran as fast as he could, carrying all his fishing tackle and leapt over the five bar gate to safety.
We didn’t have a dog so no dog was with him.
Thankfully on this occasion, we children weren’t with him either.

This is a very sad story and I feel that the couple did nothing wrong. They couldn’t see the cows and often there were no cows in the field. Perhaps when public footpaths cross land, the landowner should be required to make the footpath safe with the use of hedges or fencing.

Walking along a public footpath with my two small children and dog (on a lead), the herd of cows docilely munching grass suddenly gathered together and slowly advanced on us, gathering speed into a stampede until they were almost upon us.

Instictively, I let the dog off the lead to take his chances and managed to reach a gate with the children and scramble over it.

I was on a public footpath but hadn't realised how dangerous cattle could be and yes, there were calves: I should have known the danger but didn't appreciate both the speed of moving cows or the danger they presented.

Education of youngsters is key to ensuring that the public understand bovine dangers.

I understand that farmers have an obligation to keep the public safe where there could be cattle. Farmers could also play their part by putting a notice by any gate into fields containing cattle plainly stating that there are cows with calves in the field and that it is dangerous to enter. Anyone who chooses to enter does so at their own risk.

Of course, this presumes that farmers would not take advantage of the public...

Near my house is a field with a corridor through for pedestrians. It has chain link fencing on both sides and obviously keeps people away from animals - an excellent farmer!

So as I lived far away from my brother as a teen, when we would meet up, we would go on midnight walks around his home, we were in our late teens and spend hours walking for miles in the dark.
Anyway, one night, climbing over stiles into different fields, we heard noise and my brother turns on our torch. This was no small weeny torch on our phone, this was an industrial head sized monstrosity that my brother had bought along.
We lit up hundreds of eyes on the other end of the field, and the second we did, they started to stand. We switched the torch off chuckling uneasily, they had started to make more noise by this point, and we thought we would have one more look before leaving.

I don't know how many of you have watched Dr Who's Weeping Angels, but this was like that, the second we turned the torch on again, they were so much closer, on their way over, some started to pick up the pace, and they looked narked.
We ran, and this was not helped by the fact I was wearing 90's block heels and a long skirt with a split lol.
Luckily, after jumping over a small stream, and clambering a fence, we made it, but those cows looked so murderous, never even thought about being afraid of cows before. Bloody was after that! lol

I avoid entering fields with cattle in them
Last year I walked through a field on a public footpath with my 2 dogs on leads, I checked first and could not see any livestock in the field
Half way through, I heard a snort behind me and was confronted by a herd of cows following me, I tried to shoo them without success, a lady outside a nearby house,shouted to me to let the dogs go, I walked quickly to the fence, which the lady couldn’t open, the cows were pushing closer,and nearly pushing me over, I had to scale the fence and then drag one of the old dogs,who wouldn’t leave me ,under the fence, I tore my hand on barbed wire
Very near miss
I do think signs warning that livestock are grazing could prevent an accident, and footpaths should be fenced if possible
I do think people should be careful after all we are entering the farmers property, where they have every right to graze their livestock
So some precautions from both farmers and walkers could help prevent more tragic incidents

If my dog was in my fields that’s have a footpath across it and just frightened someone then he /I could be in trouble. If I put a herd of cows in them and they trample someone then that is ok it seems.
All we farmers have to do is run an electric fence along the path ( making sure that there is room for walkers of course). It’s not difficult or expensive. I don’t understand why it’s not law..or yes I do…big land owners .

Many years ago I was on holiday in Ayrshire with a friend who sometimes liked to go walking alone. So I went in the opposite direction. After a mile or so it started to rain quite heavily so I decided to cross a field with some cattle standing in groups. The cattle near me took no notice but when I was well into the field I saw that a group on my left had started running along the side of the field, then suddenly they veered towards me. Needless to say I hastily turned round and ran back towards the road and the group near my exit paid no attention to me. I did get rather wet walking back though.

On another occasion I was walking my dog along a country road waiting for my husband to visit a client when I became aware that one cow was standing apart from the herd and seemed to be staring at me and the dog. It slowly came nearer then started running and seemed to be charging towards me. In spite of there being a kind of ditch along the edge of this field I decided to run along the road; the cow did halt at the edge of the field instead of leaping over the gap.

Walking in Devon in the autumn a friend told me the sad story of a local farmer who was killed by his own cows. No dogs involved and he knew the animals.

I can't help wondering if the frequency of attacks is increasing. I grew up next to a farm and regularly walked through a field of cows, without fear, with my dog on a lead. They didn't take much notice of us, ever. But now I feel differently. More recently I have seen people do really stupid things, coming up close to them, for instance, taking pictures with them etc. I am not a zoologist but wonder if something in modern farming and breeding methods and aggressive human behavour has somehow imprinted itself on herds' collective memories. I appreciate cows are not elephants with long memories, but they are still mammals.

It’s common in England Greyduster and most of the New Forest is given over to the ponies and cattle.Plenty of signs around and you just need to be super careful.The animals have right of way.