Risborough Walker

Tom’s story – a cow with calf blocking the way and a blind farmer

Report number: 750

Date of incident: 7/8/23

Where: Yorkshire Dales, specifically on the public footpath between Carperby and Castle Bolton

No dog, 2 walkers

We were walking through fields toward Castle Bolton, our walk was about 90% completed. We saw ahead of us, a metal gate. On the other side of that gate, only about 15 feet away from it, we saw the rear of one cow. When we were about 45 – 50 feet from the gate we could see that the gate was the footpath’s exit route from the field. The cow turned around to face us directly. When we got a little closer we saw one very young calf (looked like it was born 5 or 10 days ago; I’ve seen a cow give birth, so I’m familiar with what a very young calf looks like,) the very young calf was suckling the cow that had just turned around to face us. We approached a little more, (now we were about 20 feet from the gate) and we saw that TWO very young calves were suckling the cow. We KNEW that we would not/could not open the gate and enter given the cow’s proximity to the gate. Also, if we had opened the gate, a dry stone wall was to our immediate right, and the cow would have been about 15 feet to our immediate left, and it was a long way to the next gate.

“What do I do if I meet cows on my walk?” Safety Advice from The Ramblers, NFU and The Kennel Club (and what farmer’s are advised to do to keep us safe.)

A few of our reports have had people say they were unsure of what they should be doing if they meet cattle on their walks – so Killer Cows has had a look at the latest posts from these Organisations and listed them. We are not saying doing this will keep you safe – we’re saying this is what they are telling us.

Happy walking.

The Ramblers states cheerfully: “Whatever animals may be in the field, follow our top tips and you’ll be unlikely to run into any issues.”

Have a look when you reach the edge of the field. Are there any cattle in the field, any cows with calves, horses, or sheep? Cows with calves are the most common cause of problems for walkers.
Keep a good distance from the animals. If they are on the path, then you’re allowed to go off path to walk around them. If you are on open access land, then you can walk across the field to give the animals space.
Walk quickly and quietly. Animals in a field may approach you, especially groups of cows which can be quite intimidating. If you panic, or run from them, they may also start running.
Do not approach any animals, do not feed them, or touch them. Animals on a farm will have strict diets, especially horses, and feeding them can be bad for them.
Leave any gates as you find them. Close any gates that you open, and if any gates are open, then leave them that way.

The National Farmers’ Union & Lake District National Park have issued a joint safety advice reminder.

“Cows with calves will be protective of their young so you should avoid getting too close. If you mistakenly do, then please don’t make a run for it, move away slowly. Don’t turn your back on the cattle and don’t make eye contact as they can find this intimidating.”
“The countryside code advises that dogs should always be under close control around livestock but if you are feeling threatened by cattle the advice is to drop the lead to allow your dog to run away.”

The Kennel Club: How to keep yourself safe

Stop, look and listen before entering a field; be aware of any cattle present
Always keep your dog on a short lead around cows and any other farm animals
Find the safest route around the farm animals, giving them plenty of space; divert of the marked path if you need to. Never walk between cows and calves.
Exit the area calmly and quickly if threatened, releasing your dog to make it easier for you both to reach safety separately.
Remember: while you can often see signs telling you to stick to paths and keep dogs on leads around all farm animals, such rules do not apply when you are trying to protect yourself from injury.
While picking up your dog may feel like the most natural thing to do when threatened by cattle, this can make you more likely to be injured.
Do not hesitate to let your dog off the lead if you are threatened by cattle and take the quickest route out of danger, even if this means not using an official path.

Health and Safety Executive advice for farmers:

No dairy bulls should be kept in fields with public access at any time.
Where possible, avoid putting cattle, especially cows with calves, in fields with public access.
Where there is a need to keep cattle with calves, or a bull in a field with public access, do all that you can to keep animals and people separated. Consider the use of fencing (permanent or temporary eg electric fencing). This is particularly important at busy times, or where access routes are heavily used.
Assess the temperament of any cattle before putting them into a field with public access.
If cattle, especially cows with calves, do need to be put into fields with public access, keep this period to a minimum.
Position feed and water troughs away from public access routes and away from public entrances and exists to the field.
Put in place a system to monitor any cattle in fields with public access at least on a daily basis. It may be worth recording this.
Consider culling any animal that shows signs of aggression.
Any animal that has shown any sign of aggression must not be kept in a field with public access.
Clearly sign post all public access routes across the farm. Display signage at all entrances to the field stating what is in the field (cows with calves/bulls).

Contact the Health and Safety Executive after a cattle attack or near miss.

The Health and Safety Executive is the national body responsible for investigating accidents and incidents that happen on a farm. If you have a close brush with cattle, or if you are unlucky enough to be injured, please file a report with the Health and Safety Executive.

https://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/tell-us-about-a-health-and-safety-issue.htm

You can also add your incident to our database by filing a report with us: https://killercows.co.uk/page/

Multiple spoiled walks and near misses – badly scared walkers

Killer Cows receives many varied reports of aggressive and scary behaviour by cattle, and several of our recently reported incidents are posted below. There does not seem to be one type of breed that is safer and we cannot assume that because cattle did not react the last time we walked through their field, they will be equally calm the next. Farmers can fail to spot when cattle are a risk – so how can we notice?

Our reports are split with 50% having a dog present, 50% not. These incidents have happened in quiet rural spots and in areas where there is a lot of public footfall. Each incident results in badly scared walkers; they are no longer able to enjoy the wonderful freedom of walking along a footpath without worrying whether there are cattle in the next field.

The guidance issued by NFU or The Ramblers can work in some occasions, but not in others. Signage doesn’t seem to be updated to reflect whether cattle are present at the time you are walking – so no help at all. Signs warning of cattle in fields don’t absolve the farmer of their duty of care to walkers, but they may deter some walkers – and some farmers may be happy with this result. There are farmers who are actively looking at ways to keep walkers safe and are proactively working with the legislative bodies – we applaud them. Our footpaths give us access to our countryside, we need to feel safe to enjoy them.

Read the varied accounts below –

Nicky’s story – one of the cows started pawing the ground…

290,885,628 report number 786

Incident date 31/3/2020

Dipton (County Durham) DH9 9JY

I was out for a walk with my husband and 2 children (age 7 and 9) and we climbed over a stile into a field we normally walk through that is a public footpath. There was a herd of cows and calves in the field about 50 metres away. We stood still and discussed if we should walk through them.

Whilst we were stood there, one of the cows started pawing its hoof at the ground and the next moment was charging at us. The children and my husband were able to run and climb the stile, but as I ran, I fell to the floor. (We were unsure if this was due to impact from the cow or if I fell over a hole in the ground.)

I laid on the ground bracing myself waiting for the impact of the cow but thank goodness it didn’t come and I looked up to see the cows udders above me. My husband ran to me and then, thank goodness, the cow walked away. The children were screaming.

My foot was injured and swelled up immediately and I was unable to weight bear. I should have attended A&E that day but due to covid I was reluctant but I attended the following day and had an x-ray. Initially it was thought to be fractured but this was ruled out and I had a moon boot on my foot and was unable to drive for a few weeks after the incident. I had some physiotherapy sessions.

Comment: After the incident I was in shock and looked to see who I could report it to but my understanding was that there was no-one I could report to as I hadn’t had a serious injury or been taken straight to hospital. Every time I passed the site, I saw people and children walking in the same field as the cows and I just felt I had to do something. I managed to track down the farmer and told him about the incident. He was horrified and asked me to identify the cow so he could remove the cow from the herd. He also put a warning sign up at the entrance to the field to warn that cows with calves can be dangerous.

Dave’s story – unprovoked attack by a cow

Response ID 292,302,524, report number 799

Date: 12/10/23

Where: Near Ashley Walk Car Park, New Forest, nearest village Godshill

While walking with my 2 Cocker Spaniels this morning near Snake road we were subjected to a sustained & totally unprovoked attack by a lone dark grey cow. We were about 25 yards from the animal & heading away from it when it suddenly charged at the dogs. It took them by surprise & almost caught one of them but the dog managed to roll away from under its hooves.

Then the cow turned its attention to me & charged. It was a truly terrifying moment as it thundered towards me, only pulling up when about a foot away. I slowly backed away as it followed wild-eyed & snorting . I moved more quickly backwards without running & eventually it lost interest & we made our escape.

My dogs were unharmed, I was badly scared.

The warning signs in the New Forest are all about not letting your dog worry livestock. Nothing about the danger to humans or dogs

This has been reported to New Forest National Park Authority

There has been a huge increase in the number of cattle in the New Forest in recent years. It has become very difficult to avoid contact with them. It would be great to have some cattle-free areas where people can walk without fear of attack.

Lucy and her friends meet an excitable mob

Response ID 291,013,673

Incident number 787

Date of incident 25/09/23

Site of incident: A path on the fields surrounding Princess Helena College, School Lane, Preston, Hertfordshire, SG4 7RT. The co-ordinates for this (closed) school are 51 54′ 34″ N 0 16′ 58″ W. We entered the field at a gate on School Lane near St Albans Highway/Hitchwood Lane and exited further down School Lane near Crunnells Green.

On Monday 25th September My Dad, his friend and I were hiking in our local countryside with my dog Tabby. Tabby was on her lead at all times during the walk. Towards the end of the route we had to enter a field with some cows in. The cows were black and white and they were a herd of young animals. As we entered the field the cows were on the left of the field grazing beside the fence. We followed the designated footpath across the middle of the field. As we got closer to the cattle we started to walk wide of the path so we did not have to get too close to them.

*Photo by Julissa Helmuth on Pexels.com*

Simons story – hunted by cattle

Response ID 291,908,092, Report number 792

Date of incident: 12/09/23

no dog lone walker

I was walking on my own on a footpath on the north side of the stream which flows east to Fordingbridge from beyond Rockbourne. I entered the large field by a stile at the east end with the exit stile at the west end. The path was parallel to a fence with stream lower down & brambles & shrubs filling the gap between the barbed wire fence & stream. The field rises on the right but stays level by the fence all the way to the exit stile. It seemed a long way on level ground to the exit in the west.

After a few steps I saw cattle grazing on the sky line near the top of the field. When I next looked one was staring at me. I avoided looking at them & walked a little faster. I looked up after a few seconds and the herd of about 10 cattle were walking down hill exactly towards me. I knew if they started to go faster I would not make it to the end. I quickened without running. I felt the ground vibrating, looked sideways & saw they were running towards me. The barbed wire fence on my left had brambles & thick vegetation behind it.

Julie’s dog George is trampled by cattle

291,957,814 report number 793

Date of attack: 07/10/2023

Where: In the first field off Cliff Lane towards Cliff Farm on the footpath between Alport and Elton in the Derbyshire Peak District what 3 words ///improvise.sneezed.warned

I was walking across on the footpath with George on a lead, the cows were in the corner of the field near stile into next field.

They came walking towards me, George panicked. I shouted at them to move back and George ran in front of me to protect me and one of the cows trampled him.

George was trampled underfoot by one of the cows, he screamed in pain when he was trodden on by the hooves. We took him to the emergency vet to be checked over and to have an ultrasound scan for internal bleeding. He is bruised and sore but we are fortunate there is no internal damage it could have been a lot worse. The vets bill was over £500 for scans and pain medication.

Ben was charged at by cattle

report number 783

Response ID 290,785,332

20/09/023

Lattrig, Lake District

Two of us were setting up tent on top of Lattrig at approximately 7pm. Some cows appeared and seemed interested and started coming over to investigate. The cattle started chewing on tent, which prompted us to leave, we managed to shoo the cattle out of the way and began to walk along the track downhill.

As we were walking down the hill the cattle all charged towards us, we shouted loudly and they stopped a metre before us. If we hadn’t shouted and made them stop I think they may have trampled us.

Escaped over a barbed wire fence

report number 782

Response ID 290,748,076

21/09/23

Nayland, Suffolk/Essex border.

51.96661620544016, 0.8753255126471292

I was on my own crossing a field on a public footpath, no dog with me. I had walked this path before and usually there were friendly white cows in the field that paid me no attention. This time there was a new black cow (or bull – I didn’t stop to check,) that was looking at me in a menacing manner as I approached. The herd were blocking my path to the gate on the other side, so I headed around them to use a different exit to the field. Suddenly I heard a noise that made me look behind and saw a cow charging towards me. I just managed to jump over the fence to get out of the way in time.

I caught my finger jumping the barbed wire fence escaping from the charging animal.

Cooper was pinned to the ground by cattle.

20/09/2023

on public footpath near Durham

https://explore.osmaps.com/pin?lat=54.735290373945105&lon=-1.5851990560360036&zoom=16.0

I was walking along a public footpath with Cooper,(a black lab I walk for a friend,) on a lead with a few friends. There was a mixed herd of cattle dotted around the public footpath, with a bull and some cows. One cow suddenly charged at Cooper out of the blue. I released the dogs lead and the cow instantly had him pinned to the ground, trying to gouge him. Luckily he wriggled free and ran after me. The cow didn’t pursue.

I was shaken by the incident, Cooper was bruised but no significant injuries.

I’m not really sure what could be done other than to remove the footpath or the cattle.

Killer cattle comment: If cattle have to be placed in fields with footpaths, fencing should be used to separate cattle and walkers.

report number 781

Response ID 290,726,193