They suggest first being there - lurking far off in a non-threatening manner, and then if you do need to pass following predictable paths not directly at them - as this can help put animals at ease.
I'm from a farming family and spent the first part of my life on a dairy farm. I also used to have a smallholding and reared beef cattle.
I would never take a dog that the cattle didn't know into a field with cows with calves.
I would be very unlikely to walk through a field, even on my own, with cows and calves unless it was a very large space and the cattle were used to walkers on 'their territory'.
I would never take a dog that was unused to being with large livestock into a field with cattle. Always walk around the edge of a field, not across it and always keep a dog on a lead but be prepared to let go and let the dog fend for itself if need be.
If walking through a field/area with cattle I would always take a stout stick with me ... a whack on the nose of the 'ringleader' will usually see a group of bullocks off.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Slightly at a tangent but we once had one of those 'moments' when walking across a large open field - apparently empty - dog off lead wandered along the hedge, suddenly stopped, did a sight hound classic launch right across the field where he'd seen something. He got about halfway when he suddenly turned and began running back to us. A few seconds later we saw the horses coming after him. And there was a pause while the fact that the dog was (for once) recalling beautifully with a herd of horses on his heels sank in, then a mad dash for the fence.
Returning to the OP - advice not to go into fields with livestock and especially if you have a dog is very sound advice that I would always try to follow as a rule. But that doesn't help when you find yourself in the wrong place by accident.
They have cattle grazing on Braunton Burrows. There's a facebook page which tells you where on the Burrows the cattle are at any given time, so it's easy to avoid them. It's a great system.
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Never get between a mother animal and her offspring. She will always try to protect her young regardless of whether you are trying to be friendly or not. This rule applies whatever breed the animal is and no matter the size. Even a small mother will attack.
People are commenting that farmers should put up notices when cattle with calves are in a field which has a public footpath. How would that work in Scotland with the 'right to roam'?
Posts
http://www.countryfile.com/countryside/how-dangerous-are-cows-walkers
What do you make of this piece of advice:
I found another page from a foreign perspective on keeping cattle:
https://www.drovers.com/article/how-approach-cattle
They suggest first being there - lurking far off in a non-threatening manner, and then if you do need to pass following predictable paths not directly at them - as this can help put animals at ease.
I would never take a dog that the cattle didn't know into a field with cows with calves.
I would be very unlikely to walk through a field, even on my own, with cows and calves unless it was a very large space and the cattle were used to walkers on 'their territory'.
I would never take a dog that was unused to being with large livestock into a field with cattle. Always walk around the edge of a field, not across it and always keep a dog on a lead but be prepared to let go and let the dog fend for itself if need be.
If walking through a field/area with cattle I would always take a stout stick with me ... a whack on the nose of the 'ringleader' will usually see a group of bullocks off.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Returning to the OP - advice not to go into fields with livestock and especially if you have a dog is very sound advice that I would always try to follow as a rule. But that doesn't help when you find yourself in the wrong place by accident.
They have cattle grazing on Braunton Burrows. There's a facebook page which tells you where on the Burrows the cattle are at any given time, so it's easy to avoid them. It's a great system.
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
This gives answers to some FAQs posed by the public
https://norwichfringeproject.files.wordpress.com/2014/11/marston-marshes-faqs-may-2014.pdf
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Never get between a mother animal and her offspring. She will always try to protect her young regardless of whether you are trying to be friendly or not. This rule applies whatever breed the animal is and no matter the size. Even a small mother will attack.