… or (B) Turn around midway through your ride & go back the way you came, even though it’s pretty wet back that way (many axle deep puddles – one of which you’ve gone arse over tit into the middle of when your front wheel disappeared from beneath ye)

Choosing (A) should have resulted in some nicer sections of trail & turned the ride into a loop instead of a there & back through rocky, wet farm tracks.

I chose (B) – the bugger was enormous & was sitting right behind the gate, when I rolled up he stood up sharpish & just stared at me, his gigantic balls swaying gently in the breeze in a rather intimidating fashion.

Am I a wuss or would I have been badly trampled / pumped? 😕

j

I would proceed with caution.

lone bulls are fine, its the heifers with calves you want to be wary of.

or grab its ring and keep your bag up.

[video]http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vguKJGfki3M[/video]

If it is Black and White ie a Friesan, Holstein I wouldn’t mess with it, in fact I would leave the field as quickly as possible. Very aggressive.

Most beef breeds are a bit mellower but treat with caution if he has his ladies around.

hmmm, depends on the Breed and how old it is, and if it’s on its own. I think it’s illegal? to have a Bull that from a recognised Diary breed that’s older than 10 months in a field that’s got a path in in (or some variation of that, I CBA to look)

What’s the issue? 😕 😀
[url=https://flic.kr/p/bvXGZQ]Highland Cow[/url] by Matt Robinson, on Flickr

heifers with calves

Isn’t a heifer a heifer until she actually has a calf? 🙂

no

It’s the randy rams in the spring that can be more aggressive….

If he stood up and started staring at you or acting aggressively then I absolutely wouldn’t go into that field. Most bulls tend to lie around rather lazily and are generally oblivious or indifferent to people though, so fields can be crossed if you can maintain a good distance.

It’s illegal to put dairy bulls in a field with a right of way through it

Bulls are fine. Give them plenty of space and make enough noise that none are surprised before you get too close.

DON’T get between a mother and her calf.

Rachel

As above but I also tend to walk and push the bike if I’m at all worried as I feel it would be a more familure thing to see somone walking.

What’s the issue?

You need to work on your cow / bull differentiation matt.

Also, does anyone else think that Highland cow looks like Sharlene Spiteri?

It was a big brown one – balls like spacehoppers, ring through it’s nose, no horns – I thought maybe they snapped off goring the last cyclist who went that way – sorry can’t be more specific, my farm knowledge consists of going to the Royal Highland Show & patting the lambs.

Couldn’t see the rest of the field due to the hilly nature of the land – I wasn’t sure if lone bulls were usually fine but if coos were there too it’s a no-go, likewise coos with calves – there were some sheep who didn’t seem too bothered by him.

It didn’t look too angry but was a fair old lump of beef, made me hungry in fact – had a nice rare onglet steak that night to restore my pride.

*edit – he was right behind the gate so I was also slightly concerned that he’d do a runner as soon as I opened the latch, so impossible to maintain any sort of distance…

Isn’t a heifer a heifer until she actually has a calf?

That’s how it’s used by every farmer I know although the dictionary definition is just ‘a young cow’ and some web sources suggest it includes a cow that has only had one calf.

You need to work on your cow / bull differentiation matt.

Oh balls.

Also, does anyone else think that Highland cow looks like Sharlene Spiteri?

Now you mention it… 😆

And although I jest, most folk are more uptight about any big animals, bulls particularly, than they need to be. IME most cattle are just inquisitive, bullocks in particular in their ‘gang’, and only get ratty if you get between them and calves or they are grumpy due to hunger/randy/you annoying them.

This lass has the horn(s).
[url=https://flic.kr/p/eXV6ET]Bridge of Balgie walk[/url] by Matt Robinson, on Flickr

I would have done one sharpish back the way I came, but then I AM a wuss.

This lass has the horn(s).

My wife is convinced that the presence of horns is the key characteristic for distinguishing a bull from a cow.

Poor lass has lead a sheltered life.

That’s how it’s used by every farmer I know although the dictionary definition is just ‘a young cow’ and some web sources suggest it includes a cow that has only had one calf.

Ah right, fairy nuff. I didn’t grow up on a farm, but spent most summers as a child on one and that was always how the term was used at my relatives’ farms too.

nbt could you provide evidence for that claim, asked all our people here and none of them have heard of that legislation. I have never heard of that legislation.

My wife’s uncle is a dairy farmer. he took us round his farm recently to show our kids and we met his fresian bull. It was in a small paddock on it own (where it is kept virtually all the time). It was massive, seemed quite intelligent but had very aggressive body language and stared us out. Wife’s uncle said simply if we were in the enclosure with it, it would attack. I believed him.

Have walked through a field of cows before only to realise, once well into the field, that the particularly large cow sat on its own in a corner was a bull. Luckily it was no bother. But that was a brown one.

So in summary – guess it may well depend on the make of cow. Fresian definitely not.

I’ll have a look at lunch, I think I was told that when doing some ROW work with IMBA but can’t honestly remember for sure. The reason was that Dairy bulls are more aggressive than beef bulls

In fact ere you go – result #1 on a google search for “dairy bull right of way”

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/ais17ew.pdf

Bulls of recognised dairy breeds (eg Ayrshire,
Friesian, Holstein, Dairy Shorthorn, Guernsey,
Jersey and Kerry) are in all circumstances banned
from being at large in fields crossed by public
rights of way. Do not keep them in fields with
public rights of way, statutory or other types of
permitted access.

That is Advice and Guidance from the Health and Safety Executive, I don’t think it is legislation, if there was a death then HSE would investigate.

Thanks for that, it has implications for what I do for my job so will do a bit more digging.

nbt – Member
In fact ere you go – result #1 on a google search for “dairy bull right of way”

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/ais17ew.pdf

Bulls of recognised dairy breeds (eg Ayrshire,
Friesian, Holstein, Dairy Shorthorn, Guernsey,
Jersey and Kerry) are in all circumstances banned
from being at large in fields crossed by public
rights of way. Do not keep them in fields with
public rights of way, statutory or other types of
permitted access.

Should have said – i’m in the West of Scotland so not sure if the legislation is slightly different because of “right to roam” effectively granting permitted access to most outdoor spaces?

Wasn’t a big deal to cycle back the same way however lots of folk go off hillwalking out that way & that would be more annoying having to turn tail midway through a 15 mile walk

That baby Highland is gorgeous! *want*

They can smell fear which is why I never have a problem with them although the rest of the family are scarred for life after I shouted RUN! when we were walking through a field of them

It was a quiet journey home I can tell you

That baby Highland is gorgeous! *want*

Known in our family as ‘Ewoks’

It does say advice and guidance but the wording is pretty explicit: “Bulls of recognised dairy breeds <snip> are in all circumstances banned from being at large in fields crossed by public rights of way” (my edit and bold). As you say, maybe worth doing more digging

nbt it also says this at the bottom of the document

“This document contains notes on good practice which are not compulsory but which you may find helpful in considering what you need to do.”

Really appreciate you bringing this up.

Ramblers website says it is from Section 59 of Wildlide & Countryside Act 1981

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1981/69/section/59

To put it in clearer language, it is illegal for a farmer to have a bull in any field which is crossed by a footpath or bridleway unless that bull is under 10 months’ age, or is a non-dairy breed AND with a herd of cows. Any farmer who breaks this law is liable to be fined.

Beef bulls are happy when with their cows but dangerous without them. Dairy bulls are always dangerous.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1981/69?view=plain

59 Prohibition on keeping bulls on land crossed by public rights of way.

(1)If, in a case not falling within subsection (2), the occupier of a field or enclosure crossed by a right of way to which this Part applies permits a bull to be at large in the field or enclosure, he shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding [F381level 3 on the standard scale].
(2)Subsection (1) shall not apply to any bull which—
(a)does not exceed the age of ten months; or
(b)is not of a recognised dairy breed and is at large in any field or enclosure in which cows or heifers are also at large.
(3)Nothing in any byelaws, whenever made, shall make unlawful any act which is, or but for subsection (2) would be, made unlawful by subsection (1).
(4)In this section “recognised dairy breed” means one of the following breeds, namely, Ayrshire, British Friesian, British Holstein, Dairy Shorthorn, Guernsey, Jersey and Kerry.
(5)The Secretary of State may by order add any breed to, or remove any breed from, subsection (4); and an order under this subsection shall be made by statutory instrument which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

Everyday is a school day, many thanks going to Enjoy telling the Natural England mob about this.

The best possible answer for the OP:

Discretion is the better part of valour and all that.

I think Natural England may already know as they’re listed as the contributor with the information on the directgov website.

Here

The Natural England people downstairs were the people who I asked and said it was bobbins.