Bullocks & Heifers

[PeteXXX]

Bullocks & Heifers.. 🐮

Today's walk..
Do they worry you if they're in your way whilst on public footpaths across fields?

Footpath heading towards the farm building in the hollow.

Guardian of the Stile 🐮

I'm slightly dubious, but just walk slowly & steadily past them. I know they can get a bit frisky, but I've never had a problem.... Yet!

 

[classic33]

Never been bothered walking in a field where there are any.

You may be nothing more than the bringer of something to eat.

 

[Slick]

Bullocks & Heifers.. 🐮

Today's walk..
Do they worry you if they're in your way whilst on public footpaths across fields?

View attachment 696045

Footpath heading towards the farm building in the hollow.

View attachment 696046

Guardian of the Stile 🐮

I'm slightly dubious, but just walk slowly & steadily past them. I know they can get a bit frisky, but I've never had a problem.... Yet!

Its a bit like the bike v car argument, whilst its true that cows kill 22 people every year, we kill 36 million of them, so I reckon we are winning.

 

[biggs682]

I thought for a minute this a new picture thread mbifo

 

[PeteXXX]

I thought for a minute this a new picture thread mbifo

Could be My Boots in front of a 🐮

😂

 

[numbnuts]

I don't like them

 

[oldwheels]

Do a visual check to see if they have dangly bits. If not probably ok so long as you are assertive and even better if you have a stick as well. Best not to have a dog if calves are around.
Bulls can be unpredictable particularly when out with cows.
Young beasts are curious but generally not dangerous. It is a long time since I had dealings with bovines.
Only once did I have experience of a serious problem when a previously quiet Friesian bull took a dislike to a fellow worker for no apparent reason. We had a real problem cornering him and the sight of a short leg one ton of muscle leaping over a five ft high gate gave pause for thought. He was “ retired” immediately.

 

[PeteXXX]

Another Guardian of the Stile, this was a short while ago near Froggatt.

 

[Tail End Charlie]

I'm wary, but generally keep walking towards them and they move, helps if you have a stick. My wife, who was thrown by a Highland cow (the cow's horn got under her jacket and when it lifted its head, she was flipped over) whilst out walking (with me) is terrified of them.
I once read a cow sees us as ten times bigger than we are, which helps build confidence!

With a dog be very wary though, I recently planted a tree in memory of someone who had been trampled whilst out with her dog.

 

[Accy cyclist]

I haven't walked the fields around here for a few years, due to mobility problems, but I did it for many years and found that cows seem to be attracted to small dogs. When I had my two white and black Jack Russells they'd get
quite frisky, bordering on aggressive. I think they saw the white and black mutts as Fresian calves maybe. 🐄 🤔

A FRESIAN COW

A PARSON JACK RUSSELL

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I have had a few problems - normally just curiosity of young animals
also sometimes a group of females acting defensive and forming a sort of group just in case
there was a herd in Beaumaris like this one year - they were used to people walking across their field but would sometimes walk towards you in a group of long line - which could be scary

I have heard of serious problems with some herds that will charge if they see a dog - farmers are supposed to make sure herds like this are not in fields with paths through them.


weirdest problem I have had was when walking with my ex and our daughter (who was about 9 at the time)
We came up to one of the metal "kissing gates"

There wwere a group of dark brown cows in the field mostly in among some scrubby trees at the far end of teh field
As we approached the gate one of the cows - which, by the way, had horns - came up to teh gate and pushed it closed to us with his horns and just stayed there.

we backed off around a corner and waited - the cows wandered off
so I went up to the gate and went through with no problems
came back and we all went up to the gate - but by the time we got there the cow was back and holding the gate shut
tried it several times and she did the same each time - just blocked our path

eventually I left my ex and our daughter and tried on my own
no problem - the cow looked at me and just carried on grazing as I went through the gate

I made it to the middle of the field (near a tree just in case!) and called the others up
as soon as they appeared the cow blocked the gate again
they backed off and the cow went back to grazing

after a few more tries I told the others to stay silent
(this was my ex - this was treated as sever male agression and my 9 year old daughter was always talking - so it took a while!!!!)

anyway - they approached the gate with no problem - my ex turned to me and said one word - cow was back in the gate!!

back round the corner
they eventually stayed silent and got through the gate and across the field


for some reaosn the cow did not like female voices in her field

male was just fine - which was apparently my fault


like I say - this was my ex!!!

 

[Accy cyclist]

I bet one of these would give you peace of mind in a field full of loopy cows!!🧐

https://punkybobs.com/products/prem...odder-92151972/?gclid=CjwKCAjwhdWkBhBZEiwA1ib

 

[Andy in Germany]

My godmother grew up on a dairy farm and she would happily walk straight through whole herds of heifers and bullocks to demonstrate that they always move when you come within a metre.

 

[OldShep]

If you can identify the animals age, sex, breed then you immediately have an insight into the expected behaviour of them. I’ve 60 yrs experience so I might have a slight advantage over most of you.
Your photos are all dairy females Holstein/Friesian
1) in calf cow - won’t want to run fast especially near calving
2) dairy cow - scratch her back and push her out of the way
3) bulling heifer - can be curious and if a few of her pals are bored and up for it will follow you without malice.

 

[Jameshow]

I'm wary, but generally keep walking towards them and they move, helps if you have a stick. My wife, who was thrown by a Highland cow (the cow's horn got under her jacket and when it lifted its head, she was flipped over) whilst out walking (with me) is terrified of them.
I once read a cow sees us as ten times bigger than we are, which helps build confidence!

With a dog be very wary though, I recently planted a tree in memory of someone who had been trampled whilst out with her dog.

Iirc

Let go of the dog and get some space from it, the cow will go for the dog and not you but not get the dog...
The cow will go for you if with the dog...