Cows in a gang

[Kishimo]

I was recently on a long walk/camping trip with some friends near where I live, and part of our route was to walk through a field.  As we approached this field, a group of cows (possibly 25 or so cows, I think) ran towards the gate we were headed for, completely blocking it.  When me and my friends walked in one direction, the whole group of cows would follow, stand there and just stare at us...does anyone know why?  It was quite frightening at the time (and in the end our group decided to walk around the field, rather than through it...lol).  Also, this route we were taking was a public footpath, and we did nothing to provoke the cows.  Were they just curious or is there another reason as to why they followed us?

Thanks in advance.

[mystress]

It might be one of 2 reasons:~

1.They thought you were from the farm,coming to take them for milking;cows udders can get quite sore if full of milk!

".They just wanted you to let them into another field,where, as we always know "the grass is always greener"!

[dmsjps]

Hi Kishimo, I agree with mystress, that it could have been coming up to milking time (and they also get fed at milking time, so there's two occasions rolled into one for you). Occasionally you get a cow with attitude, but not a whole herd of them. They do tend to follow you if you walk through their field though, because they're just curious animals. It used to spook my daughter when she was little and she was born and bred in the country - of a farmer's son!

[gen2]

In my experience there are two reasons for this behaviour.  In my younger days, I used to do a lot of hiking and this behaviour was most noticeable , not in cows, but in bullocks (neutered males).  In those instances it appeared to be curiosity, and although they gathered round, they kept their distance and we were able to contimue our walk.
The only time cows behaved like that was when I was walking my dog, on a lead.  The cows came very close and frightened the dog (a German Shepherd). I had to 'tap' the cows on their noses with my map to make them back off while I made a cautious retreat to the nearest fence.

Did any of your party have a dog with them?

[Noweia]

If they thought they were going to be fed they would crowd round you!

[Cetti]

Kishimo, if this was a Public right of way then you had nothing to fear as the farmer would not put the public at risk - but I do agree they can look pretty menacing... you were probably providing the herd with the floor show for the day!!

Cows have an insatiable curiosity about almost everything and anyone. I was brought up on a farm and the cows didn't spare a glance for the family, but visitors were a different matter. Anyone new and over they came just maintaining  a safe  distance as along with their nosiness they are quite jittery animals.

Dogs should never ever be taken into a field of animals. This is plain common sense, and anyone that does so should take the consequences. If there are calves or newly calved mums they will (and have done) formed a circle around the dog and in some cases kill it.

[gen2]

cetti, The responsible dog owner keeps his/her dog on a lead, keeps to the rights of way and follows the country code.

[B00]

Just saw the topic heading and had a mental image of cows standing on street corners in hoodies shouting abuse at passers by.....i think i need to go to  bed.......lol

[dmsjps]

Hey BOO, that is such a funny thought, glad you shared it!

 

Honest though, sometimes you can get a freaky one! My husband was head butted onto a barbed wire fence by one of his cows - and they did say she was a 'cow' of a cow even before she did it because of her attitude.

 

Then again, go for it girl!

[Cetti]

I couldn't agree more gen 2, but sadly not everyone is  as responsible as you with their dogs and many cows in calf have aborted or have  been so badly injured that they've had to be put down.

[spudqueen]

I know how you feel. On a walk last year we were followed across a field by about 20 bullocks, very scary. The bloke we were with said it was okay, they were just curious, but I felt scared all the same. The worst thing was when we reached the stile at the other side of the field we had to cross a REALLY rickety bridge, all lop sided and everything. All the bullocks were crowded round the stile and I felt I couldn't go forwards and I couldn't go backwards! I was saying 'just leave me here, I'll be alright', which gave me friends a great laugh, and eventually one of them had to help me over the bridge. I don't think I'll be doing THAT walk again! LOL

[ludwig]

I remember an episode of 999 emergency (? that program with Michael Buerk) where a hiker got trampled badly by a herd of curious cows. I think they spooked him, so he started running, so they ran after him, and then he tripped and they ran over him. A cow is b***dy heavy, and he was very badly hurt - multiple broken bones etc, so although they mean no harm, you are right to be very wary when they approach.

[Kishimo]

Thanks for all your answers...

And in response to your question, gen2, no, none of us had a dog!

I've never experienced cows/bulls doing that before...they're pretty weird.  And thanks for that comment, ludwig, now I feel much better! =P lol

Thanks again all

[Mrs_Pegasus]

Interesting post - but I could be wrong here.  But I think you will find that a farmer can put a bull in a field where there is a public right of way as long as he places warning signs to indicate so.  I for one would not go through such a field!  In some parts of the country a farmer doesnt even have to declare there is a bull in a field but I would hope they wouldnt risk this.

[Sligachan14]

Load of bullocks?

[butter1]

I was reading in the paper today that there was a woman in her 50's walking her daughter's dog (on a lead) in a field full of cows and calves and one of the cows charged at her, head butted her to the ground and then crushing her to death.  So please be careful if you are in a field with pregnant cows with calves.  They are very protective of their young.

[mongos bird]

I once got chased by a cow - proper shat myself!!

[Kishimo]

Hi again all,

Mongos Bird...I'm not surprised!  It's one thing saying that cows are harmless as long as you don't approach them/provoke them, but when it comes to walking through a field of them they are really frightening!

I'm going on a walk in Wales soon...hopefully they have more sheep than cows there.

Thanks again everyone =D

[Trillipse]

as a farmers lad, i spent a lot of time with these beasts, and that sort of group were probably a combination of bored/inquisitive and expecting you to have a sack or bale of food. be thankful they didn't start licking you...!

[jimtom]

This is quite a topical post, as butter1 said, a woman quite local to me was killed by a cow recently. Let me add my 2 penneth.
I'm a farmer with 70 cows so I know some off the answers but not all as with livestock you never can tell!
1. Cows are incredibly curious animals and the younger they are the more curious. I expect that the cattle in question in the original post were, as someone else pointed out, young stock, that's exactly how they behave.
2. It is permissable to put a bull in a field with a public footpath across it as I do with my bull, BUT, [big but!] it can only be a breed of beef bull and NOT a dairy bull. Beef bulls are nearly always docile and dairy bulls dangerous.
3. Cows with calves are VERY protective to their young'uns, the younger the calf the more dangerous the cow. I've been attacked more times than I care to count and I'm meant to know what I'm doing. Don't want to scare people tho' It's always been when I'm trying to handle the calf that the cow have gone for me.
4. Always keep away from cows and calves if you've got a dog with you. Cows will 9 times out of 10 chase a dog if they've got calves at foot and if the dog's on a lead that means you're in the firing line, even it's not and it gets chased it'll probably run back and hide between your legs.
5. If you're walking across a field and cows come and investigate you, as they often will, so long as there aren't calves it's best to face them and not run away, a quick wave of the hands and "shoo" will usually send them back to their grazing.
Hope this is some help. Sorry to have gone on so long.
Enjoy the countryside! It's safe so long as you use your common sense.
Jim.

[jimtom]

Smee again!
Meant to say, loved Boo's idea of cows in gang on the street corner, with da' hoodies, shoutin abuse.
I can just visualise a Gary Larson [The Far Side] cartoon.