Dealing with cows!

[Phone]

philo,

 

Cattle have sensitive hearing and loud noises invoke the fight zone. You are best to avoid agitation with loud noises. Cattle prefer sight as a means of communication. Even in daytime a bright flashlight (torch) can be effective although there is no guarantee. It is well to remember they are animals with a mind of their own. Number ONE - - - don't get between cow and her calf.

Phone

Cows can see about 300(?) degrees. You are hardly ever out of their sight.

[philocalist]

I've remained friendly with the uncle of an ex-wife, even 29 years after the happy event - fortunate in more ways than one, as it happens as he's the farm manager over about 4000 acres just north of Aberdeen, which gives me access to some fishing (and shooting!) up there that would otherwise be reserved for the stupidly rich ... I just wish it wasn't neck-end of 300 miles north of here!

Anyway, I digress One of his main responsinilities is the cattle - they breed and farm Aberdeen Angus beef, amongst other things; some of his fields are massive and might hold a herd of cows numberined in the hundreds - they can be out of sight but will stampede towards him when he 'calls' them - always from the 'right' side of the gate. After arrival he will happily get in amongst them - they behave like bloody-great puppies around him, wanting affection and ears scratched - the biggest problem (he says) is getting his feet stood on, which usually earns that particular beast a hefty whack - he accepts the physical contact as a part of his job BUT cautions extremely strongly against (anyone else) being in a situation where they might be 'mobbed' by cows - they're not mailicious but ARE big, heavy lumbering animals that can move at speed, often clumsily, and DO have a sharp end. Bottom line is, you CAN get killed by them, without any intention (on their part) to actually harm you.

Conversely, he will happily go into a field or holding pen with his bulls, all of which are held individually unless their 'attributes' are required elsewhere - he's a big guy, well over six feet tall, yet some of these animals seem as tall at the shoulder as he is - I never realised how big a bull could be until I got up close to them, yet he seems to have the same sort of relationship with them as someone else might have with a labrador.

His advice? Share a field with them if you must. Get on the other side of a fence if you feel threatened; if that's not possible - stand your ground and be as big as you possibly can be - DO NOT RUN. IF they are already close and you perceive they are STARTING to head in your direction, head for them NOW in a steady, determined fashion - 99.9% of the time they WILL back off / scatter - at which point get out of the field - bottom line is, in a filed containing cows, you DO take a chance, regardless of how good-natured the beasts might be.

Personally, I've no real problem with cows, but I'd not enter a field holding them if I had my dog or young lads with me - totally different scenario.

[philocalist]

Some nice fishing there Tigger :-) I wonder whether or not the problem might have been diffused if you had headed for the opposite bank? Personally, as long as I felt comfortable with the depth and flow, I think I would have been inclined to get wet rather than face down those animals :-)

[philocalist]

philo,

 

Cattle have sensitive hearing and loud noises invoke the fight zone. You are best to avoid agitation with loud noises. Cattle prefer sight as a means of communication. Even in daytime a bright flashlight (torch) can be effective although there is no guarantee. It is well to remember they are animals with a mind of their own. Number ONE - - - don't get between cow and her calf.

Phone

Cows can see about 300(?) degrees. You are hardly ever out of their sight.

 

Cattle have a fight response? I've only ever seen them shy away from sudden noises / being startled and head off in the opposite direction - maybe British cows are all wussies?

[Phone]

Philo,

 

I was thinking in terms of "fight or flight" responses. Maybe fight is a bit strong. Although Spanish bulls seem willing to mix it up. You're probably right, British cows are wussies.

 

I've seen some pretty "ticked off" riding bulls also. A somewhat shameful sport IMO.

 

Phone

[robd]

robd: senario is a miss-spelling of 'scenario', but 'senario' also happens to be a registered brand name / trading name, which has been automatically recogised by 'skimwords' which is an advertising / marketing strategy on the website (I assume by intention?) that then changes the words to a link which will lead you to wherever you might buy that product, if you clicked on it.

Thanks for the info. hadn’t realised that it was a marketing company associated with the site.

Hmm, could be fun making up a misspelled sentence and see where it takes me !!

[philocalist]

Thanks for the info. hadn’t realised that it was a marketing company associated with the site.

Hmm, could be fun making up a misspelled sentence and see where it takes me !!

 

 

Now THAT could be the topic of a whole new thread!

[Phone]

Philo,

 

I have often thought of Googling a string of illogical homophones. Never done it though.

 

Phone

[Anderoo]

You could always throw a handful of 'sh*t', at them Andrew, preferably theirs, not yours, whichever there was most of.

 

John.

 

Hmm, I guess that's what I get for admitting I've fished a commercial...

[Ken L]

I've never had an issue in the UK. Cows or bullocks (usually young ones) run over all curious and then run away if you startle them. I have however been gored and had a couple of close calls in India where the docile beasties that pod blank eyed along the road are apt to swing their heads at anyone in range.

Fortunately, in Goa at least they're not considered sacred so I do my bit by eating as many as I can - In the spirit of public safety of course...