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Re: Would you............

If we are talking of a stile on a public right of way then, I would go in.  The bull is only interested in teh state of his cows, the youngsters will be curious and the cows keeping a low profile in case the bull notices them

Re: Would you............

I always step into the field and take a few paces, i then stop and see what reaction i get. If any cows or bulls ignore me i wander on through, but circle away from them. The bulls only interested in his girlfriends.

Re: Would you............

I have just logged on after a long time and did laugh when I saw this post.  In answer to your question WHW - Absolutely not, you must be joking!!!!   

Re: Would you............

julesandmissyg said:

In modern farming, in most cases, there are oodles of alternative acres that could be used to locate potentially dangerous animals leaving fields with footpaths for animals with a less-temperamental disposition.

So, here's a challenge to any farmer who might read this - why do you do it?

------ End Quote ------

Around here, practically every other field has a footpath running through it. I would think a farmer would be hard pushed to graze his animals in the small number that do not. Fields are not just for grazing either, there is a hay/silage crop to be harvested, in order to feed animals through the winter months. There are inded laws governing which bulls can be in a field with a footpath running through it, dairy bulls are not allowed, however beef bulls are, so the farmer in question (photo) is doing nothing wrong at all, his bull is a beef breed, so is fine to be out with his cows. Beef bulls are a lot better natured than dairy bulls, hence the rule.

There has been much publicity over the unfortunate accidents that have happened this year, but if you think about the number of people who enjoy the network of footpaths, the actual incident rate is minut.

We all need to eat our countryside is our larder, without the farmers we would have no home grown food. Farming is their job, and they are doing nothing that is not allowed by DEFRA by grazing that bull in that field.

And yes, I would walk through the field, but I would just be aware of the way that the animals were acting towards me.

Re: Would you............

Regarding which fields farmers use and so on, this is a walk I had done just 10 days previously and it seemed that virtually all the animals had changed fields during that time. Our main problem the week before was a very large field full of cows who were very curious about us and who ran towards and followed us. My husband wasn't very happy but I remembered advice and we stuck to the middle of the field (I figured that was safer than being squashed into the hedgerow) and kept turning round saying 'boo, go away' to them. They always stopped when we did. This time there were no cows in that field - there'd been no bull in this one the week before either.

Re: Would you............

As others have said, its a beef bull so fairly reasonably tempered, and not unlike a bloke in a nightclub full of women, only interested in the women not whoever happens to be wandering past.

If you had a dog with you then he might have been slightly more interested, but unlikely.

Just go through the field in a calm manner, keep any faffing to a min would be my suggestion, if they're in the way just clap your hands and shoo-shoo em away, they'll take fright and move out of your way.

Young weaners are liable to follow you possibly, but thats because they're 1) curious and 2) associate humans(ie farmer) with food..

HTH.

Re: Would you............

Of course i would go in - but I would have to be tooled up like Arnie in terminator 2 though.

Re: Would you............

Can I ask a daft question?  Yes, I know I live in the country but I've been a townie till recently so I don't know these rural things.       What's the difference please between a beef bull and a dairy one?   Presume it's the breed, but what are what if you get my gist?    Fresians (ha ha! I can spot them OK) are what? Dairy?   What about Aberdeen Anguses - I recognise them too!   Must be beef yes?   And Charollais?   Dunno!   And the one in WHWs photo I think was Red Devon - beef?    You all seem to know instinctively which is which and I feel pretty stupid having to ask.   Thanks!    

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I'd go in without a second thought, done it many times.

think about it, the farmer is a human, he obviously enters the field, what's the difference. ?

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It's historic isn't it? I remember seeing signs saying 'Beware of the bull'. That implies they're worth being scared of.  So if there's no sign, the bull is friendly?

Re: Would you............

White Horse Walker said:

........... cross the stile into the field containing this fella? He was just a few feet from it, with a harem of cows nearby, along with lots of rather frisky youngsters.

There were 3 of us, 1 was happy to do so, 1 was adamant she wouldn't, and I probably would have but perhaps not had I been alone.

We managed to get to where we were going by crossing the next door field, where there were merely a load of cows to pass, and an electric fence to cross.

 

NO

Re: Would you............

walkingDi said:

He is a fine specimen and I'm sure has a lovely nature, but No. I have recently crossed fields of lovely cows (which I would not have done before), and bulls are ... let's say they're next on my "things to achieve to before I die" list.

My first response was going to be "noooooooooooooo aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!" and an invitation to imagine me a pinpoint in the distance beyond a trail of dust, but I haven't the energy (as you will observe)

Di, well done for crossing the field of milk machines. Next step is a milk machine with a young calf. This i did earlier this year on **** land in Devon. She and the young one were about 6 foot from the stile, both laying on the ground, the young one went behind mum. Mum watched us all the way as we took the maximum width, calmly away from her but kept my eye on her, but at 6 feet thats not a lot. Thankfully she never saw us as a threat.
 

Re: Would you............

Buffy said:

julesandmissyg said:

In modern farming, in most cases, there are oodles of alternative acres that could be used to locate potentially dangerous animals leaving fields with footpaths for animals with a less-temperamental disposition.

So, here's a challenge to any farmer who might read this - why do you do it?

------ End Quote ------

 

Around here, practically every other field has a footpath running through it. I would think a farmer would be hard pushed to graze his animals in the small number that do not. Fields are not just for grazing either, there is a hay/silage crop to be harvested, in order to feed animals through the winter months. There are inded laws governing which bulls can be in a field with a footpath running through it, dairy bulls are not allowed, however beef bulls are, so the farmer in question (photo) is doing nothing wrong at all, his bull is a beef breed, so is fine to be out with his cows.

 

Hi Buffy

I'm reasonably au fait with the law in this matter and wasn't suggesting that farmers do anything legally wrong. But I do question the law as it stands which seem to me to be poorly thought-out (and is a throwback to the time when the vast majority of farmers used AI to inseminate their cows rather than keep such a dangerous animal as a bull!) and unrepresentative of the needs of modern country users in the broadest sense, with tourism generating several times more income for the countryside than farming.

Nor am I suggesting that farmers shouldn't be able to graze whatever livestock or grow whatever crop they like on their land.

What I am complaining about is the way they go about it. By and large, walkers have very little impact on crops. I still maintain it would be a fairly simple matter to ensure that more dangerous animals are kept away from fields containing footpaths as much as possible (perfectly possible for most farmers with a minimum of planning required) in favour of less agressive animals (eg bullocks or sheep).

This way everybody is kept happy, animals and humans are safe, and we can all get on with our pursuits without worry.

Oh, and by the way, if you are in a situation of being confronted by an angry bull (as I have been!) are you going to stand there and argue the finer points of the law with it, or whether it's ultimate destiny is to sire calves or provide sirloin? I don't think so!