I HAVE to admit that when a friend told me that I should visit the Killer Cows website I initially assumed that it was going to be some Jeremy Clarksonesque satirical site or a website promoting a band that play the type of music my son might stream from the clouds or whatever he does.

To my shame, it is actually a website highlighting some nasty and some desperately tragic encounters with cows. 

As someone who was brought up with cows I am aware that although generally among the gentlest of creatures there are times and situations where they can be extremely dangerous. Even those of us who have been amongst livestock all our lives can get caught out and many livestock farmers have the battle scars to prove it.

It is still a fact, however, that the vast majority of dangerous encounters with cattle involve the presence of dogs. The advice, that cannot be repeated often enough, is to be extra cautious when taking a dog along a footpath with cows and calves and if you feel at all threatened then let your dog go. Dogs invariably outrun cows.

The obverse situation of the above is by far the more common, whereby dog walkers enter a field and allow their dogs to run loose with no control. The devastation that can be caused by loose dogs attacking sheep and other animals has led to “Operation Recall” being adopted by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary to keep family pets and livestock safe.

Hampshire Chronicle:

Operation Recall was born last year with national animal welfare charities, including Naturewatch Foundation and the RSPCA, joining forces with police and the National Rural Crime Unit (NRCU) to raise awareness and help tackle the issue.

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Some key points to bear in mind at this time of year to help with the welfare of livestock and your dog:
·    It is so important to keep dogs either on leads or under close control around sheep.
·    If you are walking your dog in a field and there is no livestock, please keep the dog in sight at all times, be aware of what it is doing, and be confident it will return to you promptly on command. If you cannot be confident of this, the dog should not be off the lead.
·    Ensure the dog does not stray off the path.

Seemingly empty fields also pose the temptation to let the dog run loose. However, what the grass or crop in the field will be used for can be limited by contamination through dog fouling. Long grass could be intended for hay or silage while cereal crops can be ruined, especially if the faeces is swept up into the combine. How would you feel if your dog did that on your Weetabix? Faecal contamination from dogs also causes diseases that result in pregnant livestock aborting their young.

There is no reason why dog walkers and livestock cannot co-exist. Some basic knowledge, following the above advice, and ensuring that you can re-call your dog even when they are excited will ensure that dogs, livestock, and walkers all remain safe.

 

Kevin Prince has wide experience of farming and rural business in Hampshire, where he lives near Andover, and across southern England as a director in the Adkin consultancy. His family also run a diversified farm with commercial lets, holiday cottages and 800 arable acres.