Another dog walker killed by cattle ?

[Tiddlypom]

I won’t knowingly walk through a field with cattle in if I'm out walking the dog, though I have on occasion been taken by surprise if there are some lurking in a far corner. Always check for fresh cow pats! Milkers are usually calm enough, but even they can come bustling over to investigate, and as for young scatty cattle .

Sadly, there’s been another fatality, this time a deputy head teacher who was injured near Richmond, N.Yorks. He was declared dead at the scene.

Richmond School teacher Dave Clark killed by cows https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-54261829

If accosted by cattle, firstly I try to duck under a fence, but if caught out in the open I make myself big and scary to fend them off. You are supposed to let the dog off the dog off the lead, I believe, as it’s the dog that’s upsetting them.

He sounded like a really decent chap. RIP, sir.

 

[Karran]

I realise this is a numpty question. I dont come across livestock often on my walks but I know obviously about dogs on leads around sheep and I do when we encounter horses, but if I accidentally found myself surrounded by cows being nosey or whatever and I let the dogs off. Mrs Spaniel wouldn't be an issue and would think of them as horses and nip out the way PDQ but i'm 99% sure Miss Collie would bark and lunge at them, possibly chasing them.
She could then technically be shot for worrying livestock? I mean if it came down to it, its rather her than me getting trampled or whatever but would that be taken into account or would the farmer understandably just act first.

Either way its very sad for the man and all his connections.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Yes , the farmer could legally shoot a loose dog if it was in a ruck with the cattle. Doesn’t bear thinking about, does it.

The advice is let the dog free because the cattle are after the dog, not you, but as owners our instinct the is to protect our pets. The dog would hopefully bolt to safety and not take them on, but not all dogs would do that.

 

[bonny]

Everybody who walks anywhere where there might be cattle should know to let their dog off the lead if they are chased, it should just be common knowledge. I suspect these sad cases are where people intervene between the cows and their dog or pick the dog up. It must be hard in that situation and I imagine a lot of people do the wrong thing. I don’t think any farmer would object to a loose dog in those circumstances, a loose dog has to be better than a dead human.

 

[[139672]]

I had a scary encounter with cows when walking my auntie’s 2 labs. I let the dogs off the lead, they ran to the gate and I shouted at some people on the, thankfully quiet lane, to let them out. Last time I saw some they weren’t too close. I kept Teddy on the lead, as I was higher up so they couldn’t see him but I couldn’t get out of there fast enough.

 

[SusieT]

I think very few farmers would shoot dog in field with cows- sheep are more the issue. most dogs might bark and lunge but will scarper unless trained cattle dogs when the cattle turn on them which most cattle will - definitely let dog go and calmly shoo cattle away - dont run unless you really have to - bear in mind farm staff herd them, pretend you are farm staff and herding them - but make an escape when you can!

 

[Sprout]

I live in The New Forest, where cows are free to roam. I was walking up a gravel track from my house, with other houses either side, so not open Forest. A cow was down a driveway, watched me walk past and continue .... then it ran back up the driveway, charged along the track towards me, ran straight past my Collie, and charged me, sending me flying through the air into a barbed wire fence. Luckily after a few more goes at me while I was lying on the ground, it wandered off. I was very cut up by the wire and badly damaged a knee, so spent the next few months on crutches. This particular cow attacked a number of people afterwards and was removed form the Forest .... it had probably had a bad experience in the past, but I am even more cautious around the roaming cattle!

 

[PapaverFollis]

I've been cornered by cows without even having a dog with me. It was one of the scariest things I've ever experienced. We were in the middle of the field, backed up against a wide ditch that was really deep but the cattle clearly went in judging by the hoof prints and they weren't for being shooed away... the ones at the front kept getting pushed forwards by the ones behind so our shooing had little effect. Eventually one cow got worried enough to cut across the front of them all and kind of turned the whole lot away so we could make a (very slow and careful) break for it. We could probably have done a quick hop down and up the ditch but it seemed like a recipe for tripping and ending up under-hoof if they did follow us.

That poor man. ?

Personally think keeping cattle on a footpath should constitute blocking a right of way. But also think farmers should be able to get funding for fencing footpaths, to protect both the public and their livestock, which isn't ever going to happen!

 

[BlackadderUK]

A sobering fact... far more people are killed or injured by Cattle every year than by dogs, around 50% being farm workers.
I never walk anywhere there are cattle, they are unpredictable.... especially if they have young. Having a dog with you multiplies the risk many times.

RIP to Mr Clark & best wishes to his family

 

[Arzada]

A sobering fact... far more people are killed or injured by Cattle every year than by dogs,

Hospital admissions from dog injuries:
'Figures show an average of around 7,693 admissions to NHS hospitals a year for dog-related injuries, with a total of 23,078 between 2015 and 2018.'
https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/news-and-e...ures show an average of,and at times do, bite.

Presumably there are additional injuries which didn't require admission to hospital.

Are injuries from cattle even higher than this?

 

[Rowreach]

Hospital admissions from dog injuries:
'Figures show an average of around 7,693 admissions to NHS hospitals a year for dog-related injuries, with a total of 23,078 between 2015 and 2018.'
https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/news-and-events/media-centre/press-releases/be-dog-safe/#:~:text=Figures show an average of,and at times do, bite.

Presumably there are additional injuries which didn't require admission to hospital.

Are injuries from cattle even higher than this?

I don't think so. A cow attack though is more likely to cause a fatality, but you're more likely to be attacked if you work with them than if you walk through a field.

We had cattle for many years and my son is dairy farming, and we all have a healthy respect for them and avoid them if possible.

 

[ponyparty]

I got chased by cows twice as a kid (had dog with me). It was terrifying and I've avoided them like the plague (ha) since.

There is a route nearby to my house - gorgeous views, up a steep hill - which until summer had no cows in it. When cows were put in, they were just youngsters and kept themselves to themselves, and were far from the footpath each time I went that way. Then one day they were closer... but it was a massively steep hill I'd just climbed and I didn't fancy going back on myself, so thought I'd chance it.
The very last one we passed got interested in the dog and started following (I had my eye on escape routes at all times). I let the dog off lead as you're supposed to.... the bleddy thing just hid behind my legs! So cows got closer and closer to me! In the end I climbed over a gate to escape and waited til they got bored and went away.

On holiday, we went for a lovely walk - should take an hour, took us 2.5 with a toddler in tow. The very last part of it was through a field of cows, who all came and pressed up against the gate gawping at us. There was no other way round, and we couldn't do the journey again backwards with a tired and hungry toddler. Soooo I got my best farmer voice on (perks of having a voice like a foghorn), went through the gate (absolutely bricking it and ready to dash back over the gate again if needs be!) and got them moving with a lot of gesturing and making myself big. The dog scarpered past me and ran ahead, and they lost interest. I would absolutely not have gone in if they had calves at foot, or a bull, though. So now I know, if you do that, they will probably move - I'd still prefer to go round another way if at all possible though, it's just not worth the risk!

 

[irishdraft]

If I'm on my own walking dogs I will not go into a field with cows . If I'm with OH I go under protest he is very confident with them pretends he's the farmer although many years ago he had a very narrow escape with a Shetland cow and her calf .

 

[TPO]

I grew up with beef farmers for grandparents and then done a stint in the Northern Territory with properly feral cattle.

Different breeds have different temperaments and then age, sex, time of year all plays a part too.

People seem to totally misunderstand cattle and/or think they are timid. Like most animals the cattle all have "tells" so you can read what one is likely to have a go. I dont think this is common knowledge either.

Why anyone would go through a field of cattle is beyond me especially cutting through the middle and not sticking to the fence line

While the advice is to have the dog(s) off the lead if being chased most dogs run to their owners, cattle charge, dogs scarper at the last minute and human ends up crushed.

I got caught once in the cattle yards and was lucky it was a dehorned beast. We had mustered in 3,000 head the day before and were drafting them thought the yards. Basically going from a huge yard filtering down through 4 other yards until one at a time ended up in the round pen with gates off it into other yards depending on what was to happen to that beast; meat, breeder, weaner etc. I was in the 2nd smallest yard so had about 16 cattle at a time and was to put approx 4 through at a time. Turned my back for a second to untangle the gate chain and a stirry one that I'd had half an eye on went me. I got pinned against the gate as it set about me with its head and striking with forlegs. It was so weird because I was totally aware of what was happening but couldnt shout for help. I either had a small fracture(s) in a couple of ribs or really bad bruising but I'd managed to get out with just my wrist stuck between her head and the gate so it ended up pretty mangled but I think it was just a fracture rather than a break. Hospital was an hour away at least and there was still a few thousand head to draft so you suck it up but man it hurt. Thankfully a mate noticed and jumped in with the plastic pipe.

Like I said you get to see the tells and.I could time a charge so that I could jump.and use the head toss to flip me up the high yard railings to the relative safety of the top rail. We also had to go in on foot and hold a line as they would charge; it was all about holding your ground and timing.

I was inexperienced with properly feral cattle given that most scottish cattle have been around humans and through sales rings their whole life. During my stint an experienced stockman/ringer got his leg broken, another ended up with broken ribs and I think he damaged a lung too and another girl got her arm properly snapped in half.

So even although I know a tiny bit about cattle you couldnt pay me enough to walk in foot through a field of them alone (unless I had a trained cattle dog with me). I dont know how you educate people because the information is already out there but people dont seem to think it will happen to them. It's pretty back up here with the "access scotland" nonsense. Some people feel entitled to walk/ride/dog walk through fields of crops and stock regardless.

Feel very sorry for his family and his suffering. Hopefully he can be the last walker killed by cattle and his passing can serve as a severe warning to others.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Awful.

I wouldn't go in a field with cattle, dog or not, my grandmother had her leg split in half by a bullock as she tried to climb over a gate, my dad has been badly injured twice by French breeds while involved in TB testing.
Plus I've been at too many inquests of farmers. I won't go into detail but they use their heads and feet.

Oh and my dad has shot a dog that was running cows.

 

[NinjaPony]

See I’ve always been a bit afraid of cows. I’m a born and raised Londoner so have had to learn to become less of a townie, and because I don’t understand cows I’m very wary of them. Unlike horses, I can’t read their body language at all and have no idea how you would interact with them. Lots of people at my yard happily ride their horses in fields with cows, which has always seemed very risky to me- is this feeling correct..?
Poor man, how awful for him and his family.
There is absolutely no way I’d take any dog of mine into a field with cows... seems like a recipe for disaster.

 

[TPO]

my dad has been badly injured twice by French breeds while involved in TB testing.

Yip, on my grandad's farm it was french breeds that were memorable rogue stoo.

One jumped five 5 bar gates, including a bounce across an old railway line, but thankfully headed across farmland and down to the river on a rampage.

The other jumped out the cattle shed over the race and then cleared at least 2 more gates and 3 fences into the village. It was shot as it landed the jump into the village but was headline news for the two wee local papers.

But yeah, those breeds were definitely wired up differently especially the Limousins.

 

[CorvusCorax]

That's not including the time he was driving along and a bull was trying to jump into a field of heifers across a road and landed on his bonnet....

He would not be a fan of Limousin, Charollais or Simmental lol.
He's happily retired now ?

 

[TPO]

No experience of Simmental and I dont want any either!

@NinjaPony I wouldn't ride in a field of cattle on a horse that hadnt been introduced to cattle before. Cattle will *usually* back off it herded on horseback but if they are wired/young/mothers they'll have a go. You need a pretty canny horse to ride into them and to still listen to you rather than have self preservation kick in and get out of there.

As with horses moving cattle is a lot of pressure and release. They have a "bubble" and going into that space usually moves them but their bubble is quite small hence using plastic pipe/sticks or similar on the ground so you dont have to get as close.

I've had limited experience but I've only seen a bullock go a horse and rider once out mustering and it gave a massive chase. The horse was super cosy and nimble plus it was the head stockman who knows cattle inside out and it still rattled him. This was a big 6ft+ guy who would go out and catch scrub bulls (the proper feral uncatchables). It wasnt so much the chase but knowing what would happen if he came off...

Its one thing if you're on a horse that's used to cattle and knows its job but some would get very spooked if a herd approached and when panic sets in it's a bit of a disaster.

The more I learn about cattle the less I'd want to be riding through a field of them unless on a cowy horse or with trained stock dogs (not that I know how to work or train dogs on cattle but mum worked some of her collies on my grandad's cattle and there were heaps of cattle dogs in Oz who were pretty vicious and knew their job. Theyd keep you safe!).

 

[zandp]

I keep well away from cattle. Some years ago I was coming back from the yard and drove through a village, stopped at the bottom of a steep hill because it was a single track road and there were cars in my direction and in the other direction all stopped because a herd of cows had escaped out of an open gate. The farm was just on the top of the hill so we were all waiting for the farmer when some idiot got out of his car with his dog in tow to herd the cows back into the field, dog barked a lot, cattle bolted and for the next minutes (I have no idea how long this all took) most of the herd were trying to jump over my car, a lot failed, I had cows landing on the bonnet, the windscreen, jumping the bonnet, sliding over the bonnet - cow chaos. I still distinctly remember the one who slid, face first, over the bonnet and took out my driver's side mirror. They all ran up the hill to the farm. My poor, owned for 4 months and lovely Renault Clio was beyond repair and I went into shock. Farmer arrived, checked I was ok and escorted me up to the farm. Farmer's wife put me in the kitchen with a load of spaniel puppies (I don't drink tea or coffee and she was trying to press those on me, puppies are a good shock dampening alternative) and I rang home for help.

When I was 9 I went to boarding school in Yorkshire for 3 years and we regularly used to walk along the river with 1 teacher amongst fields of bullocks - makes me shudder now.

 

[Tinkerbee]

How awful, ? his poor family

Luckily its mainly sheep around here and were it is cattle they're dairy which I don't mind as much as I (perhaps wrongly) think theyre a bit calmer and more used to people.

 

[Widgeon]

Like most animals the cattle all have "tells" so you can read what one is likely to have a go. .

This is the thing that frightens me most about them - I can't "read" cattle. I can tell whether a horse, or group of horses, is frightened, angry, etc., and respond accordingly - but I don't have enough experience of cattle to be able to do the same with cows. So every time I go into a field with cows in I feel blind - so I march around the fence line trying to pretend I'm not bricking it, and get out ASAP. I once climbed a five bar gate and a hedge to avoid a section of footpath with an enormous bull in it (although from my personal experience the bulls are usually not as bad as the cows, I've mostly been menaced by cows rather than full grown bulls). I hate them all, except Belties and other small hairy things, as they don't seem to be as twitchy and angry as the big dairy and beef breeds.

ETA, perhaps I should go on one of those cattle working courses with my horse! Maybe then my fear would be better informed, at least....

 

[PapaverFollis]

The only reason I was on the footpath in the middle of the field with those cows in the first place was because we had asked the farmer himself for directions and he'd sent us in there saying the cows would be fine ? The fence line is fine if you can climb over it but this field was enormous and surrounded by huge thick hedges. We had planned to walk round the road iirc but got talking to the farmer (farm cafe, we stopped to get water) who was like it'll save you at least a mile and a half to cut across here. We weren't out for a walk just getting from A to B so we did. ?‍ I was pretty young and trusting at the time and still believed that people looked out for other people.

I go back to my point that cows in a field is obstruction of a Right if Way in my opinion. Especially if even the farmer that owns them thinks they will be safe but then they aren't.

 

[Cloball]

My mother has instilled in me a deep fear of cows but I will still occasionally go across a field at certain times of year if I can keep far enough away and have enough escape routes. It's impossible to walk anywhere around here otherwise. But never alone or with a dog. I find townies actually have less fear of cows I had to pull a right strop to stop my BFs father walking across a field with a huge beef bull and his ladies.
I have been chased on my pony before as we got half way across a field and out of nowhere our saintly ponies turned tail and took off ... The cows had been startled by some eegits having a nice chat at the other end of the field whilst their dogs chased the young bullocks.

I've also had a mother Highland cow with horns and a calf go to charge my ex who, although he had grown up in the country, had no livestock sense at all. The cows were on the footpath with the steep forestry they were grazing on one side and a 5ft wall on the other; needless to say I threw the small dogs over the walls and climbed it so fast everyone else wondered where I'd gone.

All these people think I'm mad and that cows wouldn't be on the paths of they were dangerous.

 

[millikins]

There is a huge field on one of our longer hacks with a bridleway running the length of one long side, it's a fantastic place for a blast. I took our Eriskay there one day with the dog and we were having a lovely gallop until we rounded the corner and ran straight into a large herd of bullocks blocking the exit gate. There was no livestock warning on the entry gate, I wouldn't have gone in had there been. We spooked them and they started snorting and charged the dog who tried to get under the fence but it was new stock fencing, with no loose bits. With the poor dog trapped, Milly and I took on the cows, I whooped and growled and swore, waved my whip and cantered to and fro, keeping them bunched to buy the dog time to make his escape back to where we'd come in. Milly was a star, proper "cow pony", she'd lived on a farm and considered cows a lower form of life and just seemed to understand what I was trying to do and did most of it herself. With the dog out of sight, the bullocks decided Milly was not to be trifled with and beggared off to the other side of their field and we went back to find the dog.
I was extremely shaken but if pony had bolted or reared rather than be willing to take them on I don't like to dwell on what might have happened.

 

[Equi]

I’ve not grew up on farms but have been around cattle now and then. They’re bloody scary animals. I’ll take a horse herd any day. My friend had a semi she had to get rid of this year cause it was going to kill someone. I really wish she would give up the cattle cause she’s going to get killed or very hurt some day.

 

[SEL]

One of my first solo hacks when the Appy was a youngster was nearly a disaster. The bridlepath crossed a field which had those large white cows in - with calves at foot. I'd clocked where they were and was happy to cross the field, round the bend and back out the gate. We came up the hill though and found they'd moved and were right across our path. All would have been fine but one of the calves decided to start mock charging the horse, and then its mum got worried and then they all got worried. The Appy bless her was on her hind legs roaring at them (she sounded like a flippin velociraptor) while I was riding her at them bellowing my head off and trying not to fall off!!

The cows decided that day that a roaring Appy was not something they wanted to take on and all scuttled off. My baby pony snorted and walked calmly down the path back to the gate while I was shaking like a leaf. She's not been massively keen on cows since and nor have I.....

The farmer was a PITA for putting those cows in that field really. I can't remember the breed but the locals said they are temperamental and riders and dog walkers needed to avoid the paths when they were in there.

 

[Aru]

I'd rather walk through cows then horses with a dog personally. But that said, I would never voluntarily enter a field of either animals with a pet dog. Horses just came closer to killing me as a kid when we did just that so they scare me more.

I have already had enough broken limbs and injuries from working with restrained cattle to want to tempt fate.

The majority of cows respect humans especially when you carry a stick and move with confidence but those with calves at foot/after calving and bulls,especially the dairy bulls, are incredibly dangerous to anyone who's handling them-including their owners! Who are often lulled into a false sense of security by familiarity.

First rule of dealing with cattle frequently as a Vet..plan your exit route before you enter. You never know when you might need it.
I can think of at multiple times and near misses where that's saved me serious injury in my 4 years of large animal work. Incidentally my worse injuries were all from "restrained" cattle.

Always release a dog when being mobbed by cattle, they have a better chance of survival then a human and are much more agile. The main issue is they run back to their owners and bring the stampede with them. You have some hope if near a hedge versus the middle but humans are so very fragile.

Avoidance is a much better idea. It baffles me that people think it's a good idea to walk through farmland with cattle loose especially during calving season. Bit like sharks through when you enter their home enviroment you take that risk.
Cows kill significantly more people then sharks though.

 

[Orangehorse]

Some of it is the different breeds and suckler herds. It used to be Hereford x cattle from the dairy herd, that were probably bucket reared and reasonably quiet in temperament and used to human contact. My FIL used to go up to the cattle and stroke them in the field.

Then the continental breeds started coming in, and everyone agreed that they are flightly. Some breeds have calmed down with selective breeding, but the Limousins remain nervy. Then more and more dairy farmers stopped milking and turned to suckler herds, where the cows have a calf and rear it until weaning, so the calves in particular have very little contact with humans.

A bull has to be turned out with cows and must be from a beef breed. But I am like everyone else, cautious around cattle I am not familiar with.

I would usually say that the cattle are curious rather than agressive, but there are the odd exceptions. If they suffer from staggers - magnesium deficiency - in the spring it can quite literally send them mental and dangerous.

 

[minesadouble]

I'm surprised to see Simmentall popping up on this thread as we used to keep them and they were all lovely, the breed is known for its affable temperament.

We have an approximately 600 strong suckler herd, we've got Limmys, Belgian Blue and Aberdeen Angus. Of our lot the Angus have the worst temperament, Angus cows with calves at food are the ones we have to be the most aware of.