I think the law is that on land that has a public right of way , bulls that are a recognised dairy breed like Friesian or Holstein cannot be grazed there. Beef breeds such as Hereford are supposed to be much less aggressive so they are allowed where the public have access. If the OP saw a small black bull then it was probably a Dexter which are tiny or a young Welsh Black.
I live on a farm and the bulls are generally out with the cows and seem fairly docile - but I would never cross a field with a bull in there unless I was on a quad bike or tractor !
I've never seen a bull in a field with cows round here which is why I assumed it was all artificial insemination these days.:D Probably have seen it and just not realised.
The path near my house is adjacent to the farm, but has only been grazed the past few years and because it is a public right of way - a very old tow path, and it seems to be on the ramblers' maps as we do get gaggles of them going past - still must be a right of way.
Because it is alongside a river I bet it is owned by the council or something similar.
I come from an unbroken line of farmers back to the year dot (my brother and I the first not to be born/grow up on a farm but my dad had a smallholding) Have to say I do walk across fields of cattle, if they look 'alright' to me...:D
The field near here has the public footpath on the highest point, and a bank, quite a steep drop either side, so the cows tend to congregate at the bottom of the slopes, which makes it easier, as it's not quite the same as an open field (ie: they'd be running uphill to get to you!)
Once or twice I have been too far in to turn back - it is very narrow and almost a mile long, as it is the path alongside the river), and at a point where I started to feel they were acting a bit sinister. (ie: a bit too interested in watching me) but because of the unusual nature of the 'pasture' I felt safe enough as if they ran up one side, I could probably break their legs by running down t'other. If that makes sense.
In a 'normal' field, where the path isn't on a high ridge, I'd think twice about it.
i think people under estimate cattle. i totally get the funny looks thing, they make my hair stand.
i think people under estimate cattle. i totally get the funny looks thing, they make my hair stand.
I really like them.:D Very occasionally, they act weird, but on the whole, depending where they were standing when I set off, and how interested in me they seemed; I used to often risk it and walk past them. I was amazed he had them there, TBH as it must be risky - two steep slopes and a path at the top of a flood defence... Surprised they don't break their legs.
I don't know much about them but you can sort of sense when something isn't right. Horses freak me out more - anything that weighs a tonne, runs at stupid MPH, and is scared of a leaf, is not safe to be around...;)
I really like them.:D Very occasionally, they act weird, but on the whole, depending where they were standing when I set off, and how interested in me they seemed; I used to often risk it and walk past them. I was amazed he had them there, TBH as it must be risky - two steep slopes and a path at the top of a flood defence... Surprised they don't break their legs.
I don't know much about them but you can sort of sense when something isn't right. Horses freak me out more - anything that weighs a tonne, runs at stupid MPH, and is scared of a leaf, is not safe to be around...;)
i`ve ridden since i were a child but i wouldn`t walk through a field with a strange horse in it either. maybe with a pocket full of polos:D
edit: i wouldn`t hang around pigs either, i`ve seen one break a mans arm, he wasn`t even in the sty.
The fields across the South Downs are often full of sheep or cows. The cows can feel quite intimidating because they're big and they stare at you and they tend to stand right along the footpath (which isn't helped by the fact the farmers seem to place feeding troughs right next to the path).
We did cross a field with a couple of enormous bulls in and it's not an experience I'd like to try again. We managed to skirt around the very edge of the field while the bulls were still some distance away. They did approach us and we were ready to leap over the fence into the next field but they stopped about twenty feet away and just stared at us until we had passed by.
The next time I went that way I walked through the corn field instead. I'd rather face the wrath of the farmer as I trample his crop than an angry bull...
I think cows are quite scary! I wouldn't walk straight though a field of strange cows (by strange I mean ones I don't know, not ones that are crazy!). My horse lives with a herd of young cows, they'd run right through you given half a chance, especially if they think you have food. Running and flapping your arms generally gets them to back off but when there's enough of them their safety in numbers mentality kicks in and they just stand their ground, or approach further. Evil beasts
By the way he was black so maybe not a dairy bull. He was only quite small and looked friendly from a distance.
I'd imagine he was an Aberdeen Angus. They're black and small-ish (usually smaller than the cows they're in the field with). And there would be a bull in a field of cows. AI isn't an exact science. Most dairy farmers have a bull to cover the misses. I wouldn't argue with him - but they're generally more easygoing than a whitehead or a friesian. Friesian bulls are vicious sons of satan.
What surprises me about all of this is that people are allowed to go walking through other people's fields. Where I am in Northern Ireland, if you enter someone else's field you run the risk of being shot in the arse with an air rifle, or worse - especially if there is livestock in it.
It's slightly less than clever to walk into a field with any cattle - unless they're yours. It seems to happen much more in Britain than in Ireland or Northern Ireland. There are lots of other places to walk. Stay away from the cattle and let them and their owners get on with the rather important job of producing food.
If you are walking a footpath, how can you not go through the odd field with livestock?
I didn't realise it was a big deal before reading this thread.
Better steer clear of the New Forest then, you can come across ponies, cows, pigs and deer and they have right of way.:D
Where I used to keep ponies there were two bulls over the years, first a Hereford and then he was replaced with a Charolais.
Neither ever gave anybody any trouble. As people say, they were quite happy as long as they were with their cows.
But how anybody couldn't tell they were bulls, the size of them was tremendous compared to the cows. Huge bloody great things.
Comments
Was your mother disappointed?
I've never seen a bull in a field with cows round here which is why I assumed it was all artificial insemination these days.:D Probably have seen it and just not realised.
The path near my house is adjacent to the farm, but has only been grazed the past few years and because it is a public right of way - a very old tow path, and it seems to be on the ramblers' maps as we do get gaggles of them going past - still must be a right of way.
Because it is alongside a river I bet it is owned by the council or something similar.
They are Friesians, too.
i think people under estimate cattle. i totally get the funny looks thing, they make my hair stand.
I really like them.:D Very occasionally, they act weird, but on the whole, depending where they were standing when I set off, and how interested in me they seemed; I used to often risk it and walk past them. I was amazed he had them there, TBH as it must be risky - two steep slopes and a path at the top of a flood defence... Surprised they don't break their legs.
I don't know much about them but you can sort of sense when something isn't right. Horses freak me out more - anything that weighs a tonne, runs at stupid MPH, and is scared of a leaf, is not safe to be around...;)
The cattle or the ramblers?
edit: i wouldn`t hang around pigs either, i`ve seen one break a mans arm, he wasn`t even in the sty.
We did cross a field with a couple of enormous bulls in and it's not an experience I'd like to try again. We managed to skirt around the very edge of the field while the bulls were still some distance away. They did approach us and we were ready to leap over the fence into the next field but they stopped about twenty feet away and just stared at us until we had passed by.
The next time I went that way I walked through the corn field instead. I'd rather face the wrath of the farmer as I trample his crop than an angry bull...
Was that before or after you started wading through towns in a canoe?
Horses on the other hand...
I'd imagine he was an Aberdeen Angus. They're black and small-ish (usually smaller than the cows they're in the field with). And there would be a bull in a field of cows. AI isn't an exact science. Most dairy farmers have a bull to cover the misses. I wouldn't argue with him - but they're generally more easygoing than a whitehead or a friesian. Friesian bulls are vicious sons of satan.
It's slightly less than clever to walk into a field with any cattle - unless they're yours. It seems to happen much more in Britain than in Ireland or Northern Ireland. There are lots of other places to walk. Stay away from the cattle and let them and their owners get on with the rather important job of producing food.
I didn't realise it was a big deal before reading this thread.
Better steer clear of the New Forest then, you can come across ponies, cows, pigs and deer and they have right of way.:D
Where I used to keep ponies there were two bulls over the years, first a Hereford and then he was replaced with a Charolais.
Neither ever gave anybody any trouble. As people say, they were quite happy as long as they were with their cows.
But how anybody couldn't tell they were bulls, the size of them was tremendous compared to the cows. Huge bloody great things.