What about cows and bulls?

We get quite a few queries about cows and bulls and whether you will come to any harm walking through a field of them. They are pretty large animals so they can be a little daunting.

Generally speaking cattle are quite safe. Bulls are usually OK providing they are in a field with cows; if they are on their own they can be more troublesome. A bull should not be left on its own in a field with a public right of way going through it, so encountering this situation should be rare. Cows, calves and bullocks may be curious and come over to see you, but you should just stand up to them (show them who's boss!). If you want them to go away wave your arms around and shout at them. Bear in mind that farmers herd their cattle all the time, so they expect to be moved around by people. Once you have done this once and experienced success you'll probably feel much more confident about being close to these animals in future.

If you find yourself in a field with a lone bull you might decide it is best to find another route. If you do decide to walk through the field try to give it a reasonably wide berth and walk as quietly round it as you can (try not to run!). If you have a close encounter with one you can (in theory) use the ring in its nose to control it. You need to grab the ring and twist it. But really it should never come to that. And I have to confess that I have never tried it.

The one situation in which cows are really dangerous is if you have a dog. Cows are frightened of dogs and if they have young they will defend them if they think the dog is going to get near (essentially they see the dog as a wolf). With a dog you should give herds a very wide berth and very definitely avoid getting between a cow and its young. If the cattle do try to attack the dog, let it go. The dog will be able to escape and look after itself. Hang on to the dog and the cattle may well attack you. There have been fatalities in these circumstances, so just remember - let the dog go!

I can speak from personal experience here. Instead of letting the dog go I picked it up and threw it over the fence into the next field. However the cattle were still in a state of panic and one butted me from behind as I was trying to secure the dog's lead on a post. The force of this blow from behind was really quite extraordinary, throwing me against the fence and nearly lifting me over it. I came away with some bad scratches from barbed wire on the top of the fence and a ripped shirt. It made me realise that you really don't want to argue with a frightened cow.

It is unfortunately the case that some landowners don't particularly like walkers and put up 'Beware of the Bull' signs to discourage people walking on their land. If you are on a right of way you should ignore such signs, take the precautions above and carry on enjoying your walk.

David Stewart

And now Chris Stewart's tips for walking near cattle with dogs...

The important thing to remember is that dogs frighten cattle (and some horses too), especially those with young. If at all possible maintain a distance between yourself and your dog. The 'dogs on leads' rule is not necessarily a good idea in these circumstances, as you really do not want to be near your dog whilst cattle are doing their best to trample it. The dog has a much better chance of looking after itself if you let it go but you can't outrun a frightened cow. The cows with calves near our home are nervous when we walk near with our dog but as long as there is a good distance (e.g. 200m) between us they will not approach and generally speaking are more likely to run away than towards us. Smaller enclosed fields are more of a problem. Bullocks may run towards you at speed. If I was walking on my own with my dog in a field with a herd of skitty bullocks or cows with calves I would definitely consider taking another route to be safe even if it means going off the public footpath. I think most farmers would be happy for you to be safe rather than sorry.

A good general tip! We keep a carabiner clip on the end of our dog's lead so we can always attach the dog to something if necessary.

Moving cattle:

I usually approach the cattle face-on, clap my hands and open my arms to make myself 'big', then calmly but firmly tell them to 'go on' moving them as far as I can from the footpath as possible. Take your time with this and do your best to settle them as far away as you can. They may follow you back initially but make your authority clear!

Some ideas you may like to try.

1. With two (or more) walkers one walker should remain with the dog out of the field with the cattle. The first walker should move the cattle as far away from the footpath as possible then cross the field whilst the other remains safely out of sight from the cattle with the dog. Once the first walker is safe, the second walker lets the dog off the lead and the first walker calls it. Once the dog is safely out of the way the second walker should be able to cross safely - if the cattle return (usually out of curiosity) walker #2 should move them firmly back away again from the footpath. Practice lots without cattle and with short distances to start with. Our dog thinks this is a good game.

2. Walking alone, if you can, train your dog to stay whilst you cross the field alone from stile to stile. Recall the dog once you are in a safe place.

3. If expecting your dog to stay off the lead for the time it takes to move the cattle is not possible or it's not fully trained you could perhaps try tieing it up in a safe place (not in the field of cattle) and then enter the field alone. Move the cattle away to a safe distance, assertively but calmly. You do not want to spook them. Once at a safe distance return for the dog and walk calmly across the field but be prepared to drop the lead if the cattle run back towards you. Remember they are after the dog, not you.