Aggressive Cows

Bitstring <[email hidden]>, from the
wonderful person Neil Allen <[email hidden]> said

Quoted message said:

Any advise on crossing a field of cows and action to take when they start
getting aggressive - it's usually Friesians, I suspect it too much
inter-breeding

It's usually yearlings, IME. They want to play dominance games (I'd say
'chicken', but that'd confuse some people). This is where walking
sticks, umbrellas (open them in a rush), and suchlike items may be
handy. 'Staring them down' often works too. Normally there is just one
ringleader that you need to cow (sorry, couldn't resist). Sometimes
they're just being nosy, not aggressive .. was out with the farmer a
week or so back and we were surrounded 10 cows deep inside a minute ..
until they got bored and wandered off again.

Don't run! And remember a) they are vegetarian and b) they are not
stupid enough to risk getting hurt by actually attacking something that
might be a predator unless they have no choice (so don't corner them,
make sure they have scope to bug out, and they usually will). Watch your
back though, some will sneak up behind you if they think you are not
looking,

Oh, and if they are actually mature bulls (checking closely not
recommended! But you can usually tell from the sheer muscle mass) then
find another field, whatever the map says. I give a wide margin to any
that are not dehorned too (pretty rare these days).

HTH.

p.s. the average border collie has no trouble at all, have you noticed
that?

--
GSV Three Minds in a Can
Outgoing Msgs are Turing Tested,and indistinguishable from human typing.

Quoted message said:

Any advise on crossing a field of cows and action to take when they start
getting aggressive - it's usually Friesians, I suspect it too much
inter-breeding

I remember being on a night search for someone once, and with five of us in a
line across a field, the chap at the end stumbled across a Friesan bull.

"What should do I do?", he asked.

"Shine your light in his eyes", I replied.

"What good is this doing?", he said after a few seconds.

"For you, not a lot. For us, quite a bit", said I from the other side of the
wall.

John
---
John Gardner
Caving Routes in the Northern Pennines: http://braemoor.co.uk/cavingtrip
A Walking Guide to Chartreuse: http://braemoor.co.uk/chartreuse

"Neil Allen" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Any advise on crossing a field of cows and action to take when they start
getting aggressive - it's usually Friesians, I suspect it too much
inter-breeding

Neil..

Make noise and tell them you're a bullfighter and Tony Banks is a (insert
insult)
and they'll back off. They're not aggressive, cows are the most placid
animals
to me, but they are very inquisitive - try having a sleep in a field (take
facewipes)
:-). In short, be loud and they stay away.

KRO

On Fri, 23 Jul 2004 10:17:36 +0100, "Neil Allen" <[email hidden]> wrote:

| Any advise on crossing a field of cows and action to take when they start
| getting aggressive - it's usually Friesians, I suspect it too much
| inter-breeding

Cows have been bred for ?5000? years to be non agressive.
Remember *you* are the boss cow, and act as the boss.
Carry a stick, anything long and thin will do ?tripod?.
Hold the stick out as far as possible to make yourself look as big as
possible. They will move away from the stick.
If all else fails hit them with the stick.

I have held a pack of wild/feral dogs at bay with an aluminium tripod which
they could have bitten through with ease.

Avoid bulls, walk on the other side of the field.

Dave F

Following up to Neil Allen

Quoted message said:

Any advise on crossing a field of cows and action to take when they start
getting aggressive - it's usually Friesians, I suspect it too much
inter-breeding

Confidence is important, does the farmer have trouble? Carry a
stick and noisily shoo them away. Don't wait until they are
crowded round you in inquisitiveness as you could get squashed.
--
Mike Reid
If god wanted us to be vegetarians he wouldn't have made animals out of meat.
Wasdale-Lake district-Thames path-London "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" <-- you can email us@ this site
Eat-walk-Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" <-- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap

On Fri, 23 Jul 2004 10:17:36 +0100, "Neil Allen" <[email hidden]>
uttered:

Quoted message said:

Any advise on crossing a field of cows and action to take when they start
getting aggressive - it's usually Friesians, I suspect it too much
inter-breeding

Neil..

Maybe they though you were going to feed them....

I know it looks a bit scary, but just walk passed them.

Only be weary if there is a one teat cow in the field...

--
Dewi,

(remove spin for email)

Are you mistaking curiosity for agression. They usually follow you
around, but stay just out of trouble. Usually a problem with young
cattle.

Two things to watch: Dogs and cattle dont mix. Can be a big problem.
Watch out for cows getting uppity
about their young calves, this can lead to serious attacks, and
although rare ,this must be taken seriously, but that frisky herd of
heifers - turn round and say boo.

Friesian Bulls: Best avoided!

Richard Webb

In the new manuscript <[email hidden]>,
Neil Allen penned the following script...

Quoted message said:

Any advise on crossing a field of cows and action to take when they start
getting aggressive - it's usually Friesians, I suspect it too much
inter-breeding

Neil..

Reminds me of a sign I saw in Yorkshire on a farmers field:

Walkers: I don't charge for crossing the field.
But the Bull may do.
--
Scottish Heritage:
www.CelticShadows.co.uk

Quoted message said:

Oh, and if they are actually mature bulls (checking closely not
recommended! But you can usually tell from the sheer muscle mass) then
find another field, whatever the map says. I give a wide margin to any
that are not dehorned too (pretty rare these days).

Worth remembering that with Herefords, polling (breeding out horns)
was acheived at the cost of breeding in aggression. Horned Herefords
are statistically more laid back than polls (no horns). Sadly horned
herefords are not too common now - shame, they are lovely beasts.

Horns or not, its the muscles that do the damage with bulls.. They
dont need horns to maim you - avoid!

Richard Webb

In article <[email hidden]>, RJ Webb
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Two things to watch: Dogs and cattle dont mix. Can be a big problem.
Watch out for cows getting uppity
about their young calves, this can lead to serious attacks,
although rare ,this must be taken seriously,

Cows, somehow, can "hide" a calf as big as a St Bernard in just some
long grass. Do not get between the cow and her calf !!!!

Quoted message said:

but that frisky herd of
heifers - turn round and say boo.

Heifers and bullocks are a pain - they will charge at you then grind to
a halt a few yards away and STARE. A bit unnerving if you're not used to
cattle.

Quoted message said:

Friesian Bulls: Best avoided!

Friesian Bulls - best avoided.

If you missed that.....

Friesian Bulls - best avoided.

--
Bill Grey
http://www.billboy.co.uk

In article <[email hidden]>, Dewi
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Maybe they though you were going to feed them....

I know it looks a bit scary, but just walk passed them.

Only be weary if there is a one teat cow in the field...

Only encountered a Friesian Bull once - it wasn't a case of walk the
other side of the field, he wouldn't let us get near the field.
--
Bill Grey
http://www.billboy.co.uk

Quoted message said:

p.s. the average border collie has no trouble at all, have you noticed
that?
GSV Three Minds in a Can

In that case my Border Collie is not average!

When she was a pup she had two bad experiences with cattle. She was cornered
in a farm yard at the farm under Troutbeck Tongue (yes she was on her lead!
I was cornered too) and then in the field beneath Hartsop Dodd she was
surrounded again. That was eight years ago. We returned there a couple of
weeks ago and I swear she remembered it!

--
Dave Newton

Lake District walk&image site
http://www.daves-lakeland-mountains.co.uk

Faolan <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Reminds me of a sign I saw in Yorkshire on a farmers field:

Walkers: I don't charge for crossing the field.
But the Bull may do.

"Our bull can do 100 yards in 10 seconds. Can you?".

The only "Bull in Field" notices we have seen were in empty fields, and
whenever we saw a bull there was never a notice.
--
Gordon

In message <[email hidden]>, Neil Allen
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Any advise on crossing a field of cows and action to take when they start
getting aggressive - it's usually Friesians, I suspect it too much
inter-breeding

Neil..

Walk in sheep country.

--
Martin Richardson
239/284 Munros - 15% to go 34/34 'Furths' & 439/439 Nuttalls - 0% to go
42/89 Donalds - 53% to go 0/? Himalayans - 100% to go
442/1552 Marilyns - 72% to go

On Fri, 23 Jul 2004 10:17:36 +0100, "Neil Allen" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Any advise on crossing a field of cows and action to take when they start
getting aggressive - it's usually Friesians, I suspect it too much
inter-breeding

Hmmm.... leave as fast as possible.

I know people say cows are friendly, but experience over the years has
suggested otherwise to me. This was recently confirmed by my uncle,
the Irish cattle farmer, who was utterly horrified to hear that my
cousin had led me (running) through a field of potentially aggressive
beasties!

Really - some cows are really quite aggressive. If it looks like
you've run into some, I'd suggest leaving with as much speed and
dignity as you can muster 🙂

Best wishes,
--
Peewiglet

Quoted message said:

Cows, somehow, can "hide" a calf as big as a St Bernard in just some
long grass. Do not get between the cow and her calf !!!!

Used to be a job as a kid.. Go find the calf, and report on hiding
place and condition - usually the Herefords. OKsmall open field -
piece of cake...? But no it was hard. and the mother never gave the
game away either.. If you were getting warm no reaction. They hide
very well and even a bright white face does not always help.

Same tactic as deer. Hide them while grazing.

Richard Webb

W. D. Grey said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Dewi
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Maybe they though you were going to feed them....

I know it looks a bit scary, but just walk passed them.

Only be weary if there is a one teat cow in the field...

Only encountered a Friesian Bull once - it wasn't a case of walk the
other side of the field, he wouldn't let us get near the field.

And Jerseys are even worse.. Best avoid the county that they are in.
Had a run in with a friesian once. Scared? You bet! Same walk as a
scummer tried to run me down by crossing the road to get at me..
showing off to its girlfriend I expect. (Moel y Golfa - Welshpool)

Richard Webb

Dave Newton said:

Quoted message said:

p.s. the average border collie has no trouble at all, have you noticed
that?
GSV Three Minds in a Can

In that case my Border Collie is not average!

When she was a pup she had two bad experiences with cattle. She was cornered
in a farm yard at the farm under Troutbeck Tongue (yes she was on her lead!
I was cornered too) and then in the field beneath Hartsop Dodd she was
surrounded again. That was eight years ago. We returned there a couple of
weeks ago and I swear she remembered it!

My old sheepdog (welsh cattle dog) attacked cattle by name. Mention
any of the usual aggressive subjects by name and they got a "visit".

Would also suck up to cattle feeding.. they would lick back only to
get bitten - total pathogical hatred for all things bovine.

Got the sheep in though,

Richard Webb

Bitstring <[email hidden]>, from the wonderful person Dave
Newton <[email hidden]> said

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

p.s. the average border collie has no trouble at all, have you noticed
that?
GSV Three Minds in a Can

In that case my Border Collie is not average!

When she was a pup she had two bad experiences with cattle. She was cornered
in a farm yard at the farm under Troutbeck Tongue (yes she was on her lead!
I was cornered too) and then in the field beneath Hartsop Dodd she was
surrounded again. That was eight years ago. We returned there a couple of
weeks ago and I swear she remembered it!

She's a wimp (well, being on a lead is a bit of a drawback).

The (mostly male) collies round here are just as apt to herd cows as
they are sheep, although they do have to exhibit some fast and fancy
footwork occasionally, when a cow takes exception.

To be fair, it does usually take more than one collie to get a bunch of
yearlings moved to where the farmer wants them.

--
GSV Three Minds in a Can
Outgoing Msgs are Turing Tested,and indistinguishable from human typing.