How do you deal with cows

Amp34 said:
Or they spent a large part of their life on a farm and around cows...;)
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and should therefore know better.

Anyone thats worked/working with these animals know that, 99% of the time, they are docile and usually just curious but they also know that you keep your wits about you for that 1% of time that you cant see coming.


For a 3 year period a farm I worked on had a very large Fresian bull. It was a known fact by everyone there that you NEVER turned your back on that animal and always had an escape route planned.... Was even more fun when you had him wandering about the shed as you bedded out the stalls with straw and had nothing but 10 feet sheer silage pit walls to try and get up should he take a disliking to you.

I was glad when he left...


On the flip side - there was a bull there that was so docile, he would let you sit on his back and he would walk around with you on him...


To all the "grow a pair" lot - Having a respect for these animals is not the same as fearing them. Imagining a situation and being in it are entirely different things.... Believe me...
 
I'd re-read what I quoted tbh...

Anyone who thinks an animal weighing 1000lbs+ and can run faster than you is nothing to be worried about needs to stay safe in their Cities and Towns.
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No they aren't something to be worried about, like you said 99% of the time they are docile creatures, but then 99% of the time your car trip isn't going to end in a death... Most people aren't worried about driving are they?

I did wonder about putting a cravet about the fact that on occasion they can be something to worry about but didn't think someone would be so picky...

As we've already discussed in this thread bulls are normally a different matter (but like you said not all Bulls are the same and you normally don't meet Bulls in fields with throughpaths) and depending on calfs cows can act strangely/dangerous.

Obviously, like any animal, you should respect them but personally I don't think you should worry about them 99% of the time...
 
Amp34 said:
I did wonder about putting a cravet about the fact that on occasion they can be something to worry about but didn't think someone would be so picky...
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Wasn't being intentionally picky, was trying to stop some people getting a false sense of security and taking unnecessary risks and ending up hurt.

As you will see, all my posts in this thread state that 99% of the time its fine but not to get complacent regarding the 1% of the time its not fine.

I managed this caveat just dandy.
 
Cows never bothered me in the past - big intimidating animals, but the usually don't do much when you pass them by.

I sometimes walk along the river where the farmer sometimes lets his cows enter to graze. It's a popular public area and footpath region that curves around the outskirts of town, so I question why he does this. Anyway, they were blocking my path so I decided to walk around them. Wasn't much room so I had to get quite close to the heard. I got "butted" several times, quite hard, but luckily none managed to knock me over - quite frightening! I didn’t have a dog or anything.

I looked back and saw they had some younger carves in the group. So yeah, be careful. Most the time nothing happens (this was the first time and I’m out walking/riding all the time), but they can get defensive (herd animals do fight back at dangers to the group), especially if they have carves - don't take their placid nature for granted!

Just use a bit of common sense - give them a little space when passing.
 
I never have any problems walking close to cows (sometimes I go and stroke them if they're behind a wall :) ). I think as long as you don't charge towards them or pretend to kill them or something, they are mostly pretty friendly in my experience. However, if there are cows+calves or a bull in the field I usually try and skirt around the edges of the field to avoid them... can be awkward if they're standing in front of gate though! I've never had one actually charge at me and I suppose just keep a look out and if they do charge at you then run really fast :).
 
I guess to be 100% safe dress up as Ronald Mcdonald - the cows won't come within fifty feet of you.

Neither will anyone else for that matter! :D
 
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