Weekend experience reminded me of this topic, and I thought worth bringing it up to people's minds now we and the cattle are outside over the summer. It might sound a more exciting story than it really was, and I won't be able to teach you everything (nor do I claim to know it, although I have worked with cattle), nor do I claim to have demonstrated exemplary judgement, but my own and others's input may help someone out.
Riding on a rough track through a moorland field, I round a corner and spot a small herd of cattle ahead in the distance. I stop and check the map, yes they're right in the gateway where I'm heading. There's thick heather and this is 5ft stone wall country so there's no convenient alternative. They've seen me, but I'm not close enough to see them properly.
Move a bit closer still over 100m away, now I can see there are about 30. Large cows and young ones, but no bulls or calves. They are beef breeds and this isn't a well frequented bridleway, so they're probably not too used to people or cyclists. I'm interesting to them. Seems I caught them at a bad time, they have no reason to stay in that gateway so I'll wait it out. Sure enough they start heading away up the hill in a long line.
When the last one is about as far up as I am from the gate, now let's think about what to do next. The track is rutted but level, so going further isn't really committing as going down into a dip would be. Due to the heather the only options are the gate or return the way I came. Cows have the high ground. I'm on my SL eMTB, but it wouldn't outrun them from close quarters on the flat, so don't be too cocky.
Think ahead to the gate, when I get there I need to open it so while one eye is on the cows as I approach, the other will be looking at which way and how the gate opens. If it all goes to shit or the gate is difficult I can get over the gate without the bike. Now let's go, briskly but quietly. I'm halfway there, they turn and start running back down the hill. This is a bit exciting... turn back, or continue. I figure I'll get to the gate first, the terrain's easy, and I can still turn around on the wide track quickly later. The odds are good, decide to go, into turbo and mash the pedals now because they've spotted me already.
I'm keeping my lead, continue. I get to the gate and stop, they stop. They're 25m away. Young ones at the front about five, they're the curious ones. All quiet, they look inquisitive. Stationary, off my bike, and in viewing distance, I'm not that interesting anymore. Fumble a bit with the gate and I'm through. Looking back, they didn't even come up to the gate to see me head away.
So there, an insight into cattle behaviour and unpredictableness, and cyclist judgement both in planning and when the adrenalin is flowing. As the famous cyclist Tyson once said, "every cyclist got a plan until a vehicle or big animal gives you a surprise".
Weirdest cattle behaviour I've seen was a herd of black cows stalking a group of us in total silence.
We were sat munching sandwiches and some cows in the next field slowly started to walk towards us. Then more, then all (20 or so). The erie part was the total silence.
When I stopped munching all I could hear was my mate eating. Not a breath of wind, a moo or a creaking knee. Just these cows sloooooowly walking towards us. Until....
One mate ran at them clapping and the all bolted mooing frantically in different directions.
I've never quite liked at cows the same way again 😂
Cows, without calfs, are usually very passive, and very inquisitive. They wont attack you for no reason. If you sit in their field, they’ll come up and surround you, just being nosey.
When they have calfs , they get quite protective, so keep away from the calf, and certainly dont go between the mother and calf. If you have a dog with you, keep the dog at your side and try to stay away from them.
I grew up around cows on farms and agricultural college father. I'm pretty confident around then. But still have a healthy dose of caution, particularly if they have calves or are youngsters on their own, as they are just so big they can do damage even when they didn't intend to attack....
One minute you see them, the next they're past your eyes.
What?!
So I shouldn't be stopping to talk to them or giving the small ones' heads a bit of a roughing up?
I did have a worrying moment about 30 years ago when walking across a series of fields: had to pass through a massive herd of big buggers that surrounded me. Since then I've always been cautious around black and white ones (Friesians?) but relaxed around others.
Climbing up on the South Downs Way last week I had the pleasure of watching a herd of bullocks charge past. Initially I thought my slamming the gate had triggered their dinner time response to run to the farmer. Then I saw they were being pursued by a spaniel. The spaniel was, in turn, being pursued at some distance by it's owner. The simple rule of keeping dogs on a lead in fields occupied by livestock plainly still not getting through to everyone
I was riding the Borrowdale Bash a few weeks ago. On the road section to Watendlath and soon to discover that the tea shop was closed....the horror! Anyway, I glided around a bend to find myself confronted by a small group, maybe 15-20 Friesians? Black and white coos. They were out of the field and on both sides of the road, so I waited a bit and made encouraging comments about how nice the field looked. No comments from them and no move back towards the field, so I thought I'd try and edge past them. That's when I found myself adopted into a small herd of coos. We must have gone for a good 500m or so with me in the middle and the herd all mooving along with me.
Thankfully, there was a cattle grid and an open gate allowing them to trot back into the field and me to carry on, but it was an odd experience
My usual experience is that they'll just meander away given enough warning. However, I was running home from Dalwhinnie last year and ended up in a field with about 30 heifers. They were feeding at a hay stand but took notice of me as I passed some 30-40 metres away and then started moving towards me. By this point I'd already stopped running so it was a slow "dance" over to the field edge and gate.
I always think it's better to be slow around cattle of any sort. It gives them time to react to your presence and if they do start following you then there's no fear of stampede.
I always worry that they must get very cold.
You see some all huddled together looking fresian!
Bit of a fact and a brain fart about dealing with animals.
Predators have their eyes on the front of their head for accurate depth perception when chasing prey. Prey animals have eyes on the sides of their heads for maximum field of vision.
So when dealing with dogs, always approach sideways, from their side. NOT making direct eye contact and walking straight up to them. Doing the latter makes you look like a predator looking for a fight. Watch two (well socialized, not out of control spaniels) dogs meting, they almost immediately stand side by side nose to tail (followed by some butt sniffing), they don't show any interest in actually looking at the others face.
Brain fart:
1) I presume the same probably applies to cows.
2) Is it the same response hardwired into our monkey brains that makes us uncomfortable when someone stares at us, but standing side on to someone is considered flirting body language.
Possibly useful fact - if a bull deliberately turns side-on to you then it’s doing a broadside to show you how big it is. That’s the point in time you need to make to clear that you’re backing down and you agree he’s the dominant bull and you’re not challenging his position, or he will charge you.
Anyone got any tips about how to persuade a herd of cattle to stop blocking a gate? I’m quite good with them generally but that’s had me stumped in the past, leading to a tiresome route change…
Possibly useful fact - if a bull deliberately turns side-on to you then it’s doing a broadside to show you how big it is. That’s the point in time you need to make to clear that you’re backing down and you agree he’s the dominant bull and you’re not challenging his position, or he will charge you.
Anyone got any tips about how to persuade a herd of cattle to stop blocking a gate? I’m quite good with them generally but that’s had me stumped in the past, leading to a tiresome route change…
Have you tried a Leeroy Jenkins tactic??
I'm halfway there, they turn and start running back down the hill. This is a bit exciting... turn back, or continue. I figure I'll get to the gate first, the terrain's easy, and I can still turn around on the wide track quickly later. The odds are good, decide to go, into turbo and mash the pedals now because they've spotted me already.
I'm keeping my lead, continue. I get to the gate and stop, they stop.
I wonder if it was the sound of our ebb motor that was attracting them? Dogs can be sensitive to random frequencies that we can't hear, so perhaps cows can be as well?
So, the story is that you rode towards some cows in a field, they got inquisitive and trotted towards you, you pooed yourself. 🤣
It might sound a more exciting story than it really was, and I won't be able to teach you everything (nor do I claim to know it, although I have worked with cattle)
You've worked with cattle but didn't realise that the calves would be curious or even panicked by the odd wheeled contraption humming towards them? Was your work as a butcher?
I'm being sarcastic, but it is difficult isn't it? I needed to get past a couple of Highland cows munching undergrowth to the side of a track I was pushing up, a couple of weeks ago. I decided that walking past slowly (no option really, it was a steep difficult track to get up anyway) while talking reassuringly to them would be the solution. They chewed, staring, long pointy horns about 5m away from me until I was out of sight. I would have been very embarrassed ringing my wife to ask for help after being rodeo-ed during a gravel ride!
Anyone got any tips about how to persuade a herd of cattle to stop blocking a gate?
Walk at them and loudly say come on Mrs cow **** off out the way.
I've always been cautious around black and white ones (Friesians?) but relaxed around others.
I don't think it's as simple as that. Yes friesians can be mental (the bulls notoriously so) but ones who are milked (so older than heiffers) will be used to people and therefore not usually a problem unless you corner them or have a dog on the loose.
Suckler cows are generally considered more dangerous, but usually only if they have calves with them.
An old cattle man I used to work with would never go into a field of suckler cows (even without calves) unless he was carrying a stick.
You've worked with cattle but didn't realise that the calves would be curious or even panicked by the odd wheeled contraption humming towards them? Was your work as a butcher?
Brilliant 😆
watching a herd of bullocks charge past
A bit like the political threads here 😁
...Oh, bullocks. As you were.
So, the story is that you rode towards some cows in a field, they got inquisitive and trotted towards you, you pooed yourself.
You've worked with cattle but didn't realise that the calves would be curious or even panicked by the odd wheeled contraption humming towards them? Was your work as a butcher?
I'm being sarcastic, but it is difficult isn't it?
🤣 It was them turning around and running back that made it exciting. As I said, I'd waited for them to head a fair distance away.
They're big and clumsy, and I'm not familiar with them. Some farms do have fairly wild mannered cattle, maybe it runs in the herd or they're handled impatiently and shouted at - can't really be trusted.
Anyone got any tips about how to persuade a herd of cattle to stop blocking a gate?
Well, waiting sort of worked for me there. If the area is open, approach on foot from opposite direction to which you want them to go, swing your arms in and out wide a bit, make loud but not shouty noises like "hooow" or "cooommee oooonnn". If in closed area, go up the edge one side to pass them, I don't mean squeezing, don't risk getting squashed against a wall by their clumsy moves. Be predictable and don't startle them, keep away from feet and hind legs, make a bit of noise so they always know where you are. Give up if they seem jittery or you feel it's dodgy. Give them somewhere big and obvious to go, don't make them feel trapped by your mates standing somewhere else. Sometimes stubborn though and won't have any respect until poked with a length of blue PVC pipe.
You reckon cows are unpredictable? You should try our local Murder Rabbits on for size! They come with 4 settings:
1) frozen around a blind corner… lurking on a fast stretch.
2) frozen then attack from the side / rear
3) bouncy down the trail, but slow enough to ruin the flow
4) who are you looking at mate? I’m going to kick the shit out of you.
kangaroos of course…
This was about the third set of coos I had to pass to get to the bothy just up ahead. Not sure if it mattered but I got off the bike and walked it past all the groups. No issues.
The prop is from a WW2 Dakota which crashed on the hill nearby en route from Reykyavik to Prestwick
We have (famously fearsome-looking but docile) highland cattle on the moor above our house.
I frequently have to ask them to mooooooooove when cycling past. Including today as it happens.
Do more experienced runners, with more cattle grid experience them I, still stop to carefully walk across cattle grids?
If you have a dog with you, keep the dog at your side
Cows with calves? Let the dog off and head on through alone. Unless the dog is a psycho (or a bull breed) it will run around the cows and join you when it's safe. Owners die keeping their dogs close in a field containing cows with calves at foot.
you’re not challenging his position, or he will charge you
They don't take card payments either and the emergency £20 is not likely to be enough.
I have to pass by and through cows pretty often and they're almost always OK - don't go too fast, make a lot of noise and they move out of the way. I just ignore their inquisitivity - if you encourage it they get close and panic at the last second.
I don't know if the advice about letting the dog loose is good or not. The only times I've felt threatened is when I've been with a dog, but kicking it loose to run around barking doesn't seem a good idea either,
From this year's TdF.
I don't know if the advice about letting the dog loose is good or not.
Yeah, it's crap advice. My dogs would have stood where they were, scared stiff, until I went back and rescued them. 😆
It's worked for me every time I've needed to use it.
until I went back and rescued died with them.
I would never walk through a field with a dog on a lead... obviously if your dog is likely to attack the cows if off lead it then becomes tricky. All the dogs I have had would give cattle a very wide berth.
Those who are saying Highland cattle - I find they are more docile than many others, including common all garden Friesian. They just have no idea how gert big thier horns are...
That said, mrs_oab and met a pair of young male Highland cows on Davaar Island last year. They properly thundered down the hill towards us and another pair of walkers - jumping, throwing head around, kicking up etc. They were just overexcited youngsters, not a proper charge.
Mrs_oab and the other walkers properly screamed and started running...
...I did the stand reet big waving arms and roared back at them...and as soon as the cows paused a moment, went towards them still screaming...so they started backing down. At which point all of us just slowly walked away. Maybe 5-10 seconds, all over...
We met the island owner later and pointed out what happened - apparently the local farmer who rents it for grazing thought it would keep the pair of them away from people...so put them to graze on a tidal island with a couple of holiday homes and a few caves folk visit.... 🤔🫣
I once got caught squatting* in a field by a bull. The cheeky bastard sneaked up on me and nuzzled into the side of my head.
I mean the last bit wasn't sneaky i saw him but decided calmly downing tools and phoning my mum so someone knew where i was was the greater form of valour.
I am pretty chill round them. But after he got disinterested and wandered off i found a herd with calves loitering on the lower river bank. One of the mothers was a far more worrying experience it placed itself between me and the rest and stalked me out of the field. Quite menacing.
Cows are ace, they are inquisitive and play games. I wouldn't say they are clumsy either they can be pretty delicate when they want to.
The most distressing episode was actually a ram. He really had it in for me. False charging and generally being and absolute tool. I grew up with sheep and getting struck by a horned ram ****ing hurts.
*It was a work squat not a comedy camping experience.
From this year's TdF...
It's OK, they're behind a fence 😬
Trouble is, round here you never know if the herd has been spooked by a walker with a dog five minutes ago. I'm quite content to give any field with cows and calves in it a miss, even at risk of a substantial detour, if there's any sign of agitation.
Bullocks are big wusses generally though, even though they want to come to you and follow you.
Always get off the bike when passing close to cows. Walk don't run they'll just run after you and they're bigger than you and faster than you. Keep the bike in-between you and the cows if they're really close. It won't do you any good but at least you'll know no one's going to nick your bike since it'll be trashed anyway.
Yeah, it's crap advice. My dogs would have stood where they were, scared stiff, until I went back and rescued them.
Not mine. I inherited a large black German Shepherd bitch from my sister who was unable to keep her due to a change in work. I hadn't had her very long, and I was out walking her near my house. We're surrounded by fields which usually have herds of cows happily grazing in them, with a large stone wall separating us from them. Optimistically I thought the wall was high enough to keep my dog in, and of course it wasn't. Cue one large dog doing her shepherding thing, and about 30 cows stampeding in the opposite direction to get away from her.
She was having great fun, me not so much. Fortunately I finally managed to distract her with a stick, and equally luckily the farmer wasn't out and about and we got away with it. The cows seemed fine, too 🙂
Bullocks are big wusses generally though, even though they want to come to you and follow you.
You've just reminded me of riding across a field on a hill top years ago, and the bullocks started running away from me. Great, I thought... until they'd followed the field edge all the way around and continued their charge up the hill behind me. I can testify that sometimes you can outsprint a charging herd of cattle!
as they are just so big they can do damage even when they didn't intend to attack..
This is the thing you have to remember,what are they 400-1000 kg depending on size.
Just don’t get caught between something like this which isn’t the most gracefull of animals on its feet and walls.
I’m with Scotroutes on being slow around cattle and if with little ones i’d find another route.
I got a reminder two days ago walking through a field; mother and calf blocking the gate in the corner, so I kept close to the left wall, speaking in a low voice, giving them plenty of room to move away to the right. Mother was giving me the side-eye the whole time and decided to butt me before moving out of the way - just a gentle tap but you wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of an angry cow. Like when I've wrestled sheep out of fencing where they've caught up their horns - solid muscle.
