Are there any rules about this?
Not trolling genuinely interested.
I had to cross a field today on a bridlepath and there were 3 massive bulls very close to the path.
Strangely enough there weren’t any cows just the 3 bulls.
I’m not really sure how they behave but I was wearing a bright red t-shirt today.
Crossing the field was very much a point,commit and hope for the best moment!

5. Section 59 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 bans the keeping of bulls in fields crossed by a right of way, except if they are:

under the age of 10 months; or
not of a recognised dairy breed, provided that they are accompanied by cows or heifers.

‘Recognised dairy breeds’ are defined as the following: Ayrshire, British Friesian, British Holstein, Dairy Shorthorn, Guernsey, Jersey and Kerry (see page 78 of Navigation & Leadership (4) for an identification chart showing these breeds).

From here: http://www.ramblers.org.uk/rights_of_way/knowledge_portal/advice_notes/animals

So basically, define massive – under 10 months?

bullocks?

but I was wearing a bright red t-shirt today.

they’re colour blind 😀

Thanks.
I’m a city boy and have not spent enough time with bulls to know how big they would be expected to be at 10 months but they looked fully grown to me.
Thought it was strange that they were there.
There was an elderly rambler ahead of me who cruised past them like there was no issue at all so I wondered if my concern was just ignorance.

did they have the right, you know, equipment to be bulls?
could they have just been horny cows?

If it was a big black and white one (friesan or holstein) then stay well away they are very feisty. Most beef breeds are pretty docile.

I’m a city boy and have not spent enough time with bulls to know how big they would be expected to be at 10 months but they looked fully grown to me.

Likewise – not sure how you’re meant to tell – maybe if they had a big “5 Today” badge it’d be more obvious 😀

did they have the right, you know, equipment to be bulls?

The were lying not standing so I couldn’t see the undercarriage.
They had massive horns not the short ones that cows usually have.
Do cows get really long pointy horns?

Google to the rescue:

10 months

18 months

Big horns… not like this was it?

The cows have massive horns if it was as well. The bulls have huge, er….. equipment.

Highland cattle are pretty gentle in my experience, have them all over the place round here.

These had short hair and looked bigger than both of those pics above.
Oh well.
I’ll go around next time but if it wasn’t for the rambler I wouldn’t have crossed it.
I was following a route in an unfamiliar area (Mendips) so wasn’t keen on deviating from the plan.

I passed one on a ROW the other week while I was waking the dog. Was like the Schwarzenegger of the bull world. The thing was huge, and you could see the muscles rippling out of it. As it happens, because of all the cows, I had decided to jump over the fence with the dog and walk down the adjacent field. And I’m glad I did, because as I passed it (this was the moment I seen it, and I was literally only a couple of feet away on the other side of the fence) I literally pooped myself.

I swear that thing was on steroids.

Aside from the act against bulls (as above), I’m pretty sure there’s also an act banning any dangerous animals on a public ROW.

Every time I see the thread title I think of this.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-58-36lSqG4[/video]

I think the dairy breeds bit set out above is still current. Non dairy breeds are normally fine even if there aren’t any females about to distract them from a passing cyclist. For a 650 kg beast they can run quite fast though!! JMTFU and see it as useful interval training!

@hugor – they keep the boys and girls seperate for obvious reasons, hence no surprise to see boys only. IME you’ll have more trouble if you have cows with calves than bulls minding their own business. edit: horns in themselves aren’t going to tell you the sex, depends on the breed.

As an aside saw my first lambs of the season today up on South Downs, happy days.

Hugor – Where were they?
I think you past me in the other direction this afternoon. I was by the Mendips raceway, I spotted the Niner and caught your accent as you said hello when passing and thought that it might be you.

Hey your quick I thought I’d only said a quick g’day!!
Were you the guy on the Canyon 29er drinking at the top of the hill?
They were at the position with the flag in this pic.

Loved that long descent BTW – wasn’t expecting that!

who cruised past them like there was no issue at all so I wondered if my concern was just ignorance.

^this.

it’s just an animal – let it know you’re there, don’t spook it, go about your business, not rocket science….

And don’t have your dog on a lead around cows – if they take exception to the dog you may get trampled. If the dogs off the lead it will outrun / maneouvre the cows.

iainc – Member
it’s just an animal – let it know you’re there, don’t spook it, go about your business, not rocket science….

+1

“There was an elderly rambler ahead of me who cruised past them like there was no issue at all “

He had bulls.

Yep that was me. That long decent was a long climb for me, I was wating for my mate who didn’t have the benefit of 29er traction up Warrens Hill rd ;0)
It was only my 3rd ride on the Canyon and it got up there better than my Zesty ever had, it fact it was better than my Zesty on everything but the Cheddar rock gardens.
I’ve never ridden down were you have marked, but I’m more of a Bristol rider than Mendips.

As above, plenty of cows have big old horns in the South as well as the North. Common on IOW, New Forest and some of the S. Downs too. I try to give them a wide berth but don’t get unduly concerned. Just try not to accidentally ping a large lump of chalk at them from your rear wheel, thwunk – crack. Not a good noise for a dozy cow to suddenly hear! 😳