Written by one of Killer Cows Team.
A recent television programme on ITV infuriated one of our reporters as we were told we should “respect cattle, the field is after all, their home”. The suggestion being that walkers were doing something wrong when they walk across fields.
Here is a clip of the TV programme on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brinkworth_dairy/reel/DCpkaAXocL-/
We have seen this sentiment with requests to not park on grass verges where sheep graze as it is “their lunch”, and similarly on fields where cattle graze. When there is no public right of way, or no right to roam, we can understand these requests and can comply with them.
But, there is a problem with introducing this concept into a field which does have a public right of way (PROW), or right to roam. We can respect the fact the cattle feel this is their space, and may feel they or their calves are threatened by walkers. Sometimes, cattle are simply inquisitive about someone in “their field”. But, we walkers have a right to walk along a public right of way, and we are unable to do anything reliable to stop cattle acting on that feeling in an aggressive or boisterous way.
Aggressive and boisterous cattle can result in serious injuries for the walker. We have many examples of walkers doing everything “right” and still getting injured.
The people who should be respecting cattle’s feeling of ownership of their field are their owners.
Farmers can either avoid placing cattle in fields with a public right of way (PROW), or provide a barrier to separate walkers from the cattle. By providing a barrier, they would be keeping walkers out of the cattle’s home. This is often done on the Continent with well applied electric fences to which the herd has been introduced.
The electric fence can be moved for grazing purposes where public footpaths cross the middle of a field.
If the path follows the edge of a field, the farmers can either fence it off, or offer a temporary alternative footpath on the other side of the hedge (accepting that this path would have to be temporary as a public right of way cannot be deliberately or permanently re-routed). If there is a long term plan to have cattle in a field with a right of way, then fencing is more appropriate than rerouting.
So, yes, let’s all respect cattle, and recognise the fact that they find walkers an intrusion into their domain. Farmers can solve this by providing fencing to separate cattle from footpaths, and so create a feeling of security for their animals.
Walkers should not have to pay the predictable price, or be blamed repeatedly, for farmers lack of respect for the security of their own cattle.
Cattle Safety 