red_stag88 Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 I think the farmers should have some responsibility when it comes to cows/calf and a public footpath knowing that many dog walkers will venture into the field! What the bloody hell do you want him to do?!? A dangerous machine is fenced in the work place, you choose to jump it and wrestle with circular saw - your problem. The farmer has fenced his dangerous machine off, and the woman (who incidentally was a vet and should have known better) chose to enter the field. I've worked along side some nasty beef bulls before - you never turn your back. The fatal flaw in this tragic accident is that she considered the life of her dogs more valuable than her own. The countryside is a dangerous place, someone in the farming industry dies every week. Agriculture many employ only 1.5% of the work force, but upto 20% of the nations fatal injuries are due to farming. Tjmoore, you are on the farmers land as a guest, doing something you enjoy. The farmer doesn't care a fig if you don't shoot his rabbits, so if you think its too damn dangerous - stay in bed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 thats what gets my goat about townies, why pick up their dog **** while out in the country and put it in a plastic bag and then dump it. The ******** would be better off not picking it up in the first place and letting nature do its bit. Its my number one bug bear at the moment to the extent that i caught someone doing it a few weeks back they'd got back in their car and carefully left it by the side, must confess to running up and handing it back through their open window while my other half tried her hardest not to laugh at my victor meldrew moment and the look on the peoples face as they had it posted through their open window with the i'm sure you didn't mean to leave it behind comment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WGD Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 they are very unpredictable, dairy breeds especially. Dogs and cattle do not mix. Concise, to the point and bang on IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldrick Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 Any body who knows the countryside will know that cows can be dangerous and pigs even more so . Use your loaf when around livestock .Harnser . We closed our pig units a long while ago for reasons that I won't bore you with, but they are indeed dangerous and blood-thirsty animals and there was little regret about being rid of them. But don't let appearances deceive you: our pygmy goats are the most violent and demented animals we have kept in centuries of stock farming (they charge on sight, apropos of nothing, and are of absolutely naff-all use for anything except entertainment). In contrast, we find most visitors and ramblers seem terrified of the appearance of our Highland cattle, which are in fact wonderfully placid when compared to our innocuous-looking dairy cattle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 that'll be down to the horns Eh, if all cattle had them left on perhaps the public would be more sensible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldrick Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 that'll be down to the horns Eh, if all cattle had them left on perhaps the public would be more sensible. Spot on, sir. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RC45 Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 (edited) Spot on, sir. Perhaps if the Health an Safety executive looked upon farms as they do a business, poor old farmer might take safety seriously. Big farm animals should be kept away from public foot paths, but of course it's never the farmers responsibility is it BALDRICK?? cheers Phil Edited June 23, 2009 by RC45 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
death from below Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 I run a simple safety check that has gotten me this far - If its bigger than me and has more legs - stay clear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Fudd Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 (edited) Perhaps if the Health an Safety executive looked upon farms as they do a business, poor old farmer might take safety seriously. Big farm animals should be kept away from public foot paths, but of course it's never the farmers responsibility is it BALDRICK?? cheers Phil how long til we start seeing the phonetics again? think its gonna be pretty quick. now what was it? uniform, romea, alpha... :lol: Edited June 23, 2009 by babbyc1000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldrick Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 Perhaps if the Health an Safety executive looked upon farms as they do a business, poor old farmer might take safety seriously. Big farm animals should be kept away from public foot paths, but of course it's never the farmers responsibility is it BALDRICK?? cheers Phil You're wrong again, you towny nosher. That same blinkered logic applies to anyone conducting a trade where there is an inherent risk to third parties. Perhaps you just haven't met a farmer who has a sense of accountability? There is statute law regarding management of livestock and the related safety of the public. Most stock farmers with sense abide by the law and the guidance relating to livestock, and treat the public with respect. However you've missed three vital issues: 1) the willingness of the general public to stray from public rights of way irrespective of deterrents, warnings and obvious hazards; 2) the public's lack of knowledge of how livestock behave and react to threats (dogs and ramblers); and 3) the welfare, commercial and herd management issues of containing livestock only to land not crossed by PROWs. On a 350ac dairy unit with all bar 70ac littered with footpaths, does a farmer scale down his business significantly to operate on the 'private' land only, or does he do what he can to keep the stock properly fenced and the public properly notified of the presence of livestock, and hope that the general public has enough sense (of self-preservation) to act appropriately? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
death from below Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 Someone mentioned or at least hinted at it earlier in the thread - RESPONSIBILITY - As an adult if I decide to walk across a filed that has black and white tonne heavy bits of meat walking around then I (and only I) am liable for the consequences. Sure there's always scenarios where fate collides(ie walk around a blind corner to be trodden by a rampaging herd of demonic cows) abd in life some things cannot be avioded - but like most things the risks can be lessened to a great degree. That really is one of the things that is seriously wrong with society nowadays - people are not willing to take responsiblity -and when it goes Pete Tong they look to these horrible 'no win no fee' soliciotr companies to shift the blame Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldrick Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 and when it goes Pete Tong they look to these horrible 'no win no fee' soliciotr companies to shift the blame Have you met Mungler? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
death from below Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 Have you met Mungler? I thought Mung was 'fee no matter what the result'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markio Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 I lived the first 26 years of my life in a village. I'm neither town or countrywise. In fact my only real world knowledge was knowing that the walk from my house to the local pub gave me just the perfect amount of time to smoke a special cigarette. I digress, my point is i believe i can read this most excellent thread with a fairly impartial view. My opinion? If you walk into a working farmers field (foot path or not) with unpredictable animals contained within and assume your safety is anyone's responsibility except your own then you are a giant bell end. In the case of this vet then she was obviously ignorant in how she should react in these circumstances. It was a tragic accident. And for the health a safetly nuts, i think the term used is: where “reasonably practicable”. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnGalway Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 (edited) . Edited September 22, 2009 by JohnGalway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeinVA Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 The real reason she was trampled was she was trying to milk a bull Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver_pigeon Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 I agree with those who have mentioned that it was highly likely that it was the presence of the dogs that caused the cattle to stampede! Especially with their calves they would have behaved differently and very protective, as said previuosly, the cattle are mostly used to human contact and do not see us as much a of a threat around their calves, but their instincts would have returned to wild when they saw the dogs, and they would have joined forces to protect the calves, sadly very sadly this lady was caught in the crossfire...but I thought it was a rule known to all who have been brought up around cattle and other livestock, that you keep your distance mostly...but especially if calves around!? It is extremely sad and I really feel for the lady's family, but surely this must draw to attention the fact that these "cute" cows are powerful and protective creatures and they must be treated with the upmost respect and just stay away if dog-walking..unless your path cannot go around a field! It's not much to save yourself! Also with the vet comment, I would be inclined to agree, but not stipulate (disclaimer!), that it is mostly animal health and anatomy that Vets are very well read on...psychology is another matter, and I would suggest that a Vet would be more likely to be able to ascertain the weight of the oncoming cow and the best sedative to knock her down with, rather than analyzing its thought process! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raja Clavata Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 If all else fails, a fishing chair "scented" with a suitable bait additive can provide a very useful distraction in such circumstances; rarely leave home without one these days ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan147 Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 The vet that died is a vet in a local practice where I live and your thoughts have to go out to her family. No matter how experienced your are you never know what a animal will do. Over the years how many farmers have lost their lives with animals they worked with every day. I always think I am a guest in where they live, i am walking across their home and treat them with the utmost respect no matter how big or small a animal is. Animals are unpredictable just like humans. Can anyone predict what a human or animal will do or why they attack people? I was walking across a field a couple of months back with someone else and no dog, to inspect some fishing rights, we crossed a field with cattle and calves in and gave them a wide berth by walking right round the edge of the field rather than just cutting through the middle of it right past them. We kept our distance from them and did not threaten them, if I had walked through the middle of the field I am sure it would have been very different. We both commented at the time about the calves and that we should be wary. But I also walked in a field many years ago in Oxfordshire with a dog on a lead and the cattle came after me and believe you me I was so pleased to reach a cattle gate and put that between me and them. I have never shifted across a field so fast in my life! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lapwing Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 All very sad but avoidable. Sometimes people seem to forget the countryside is a working environment. We frequently have walkers with dogs decline to heed polite suggestions to give stock with young a bit of space (and maybe return to the right of way). A few of our ewes nearly killed a labrador a couple of years ago when it's owners ignored requests not to walk right alongside the troughs we had just fed them at..."oh, we thought you meant the dog might chase the sheep". Perhaps they did not see the 30 odd triplets milling around the ewes. Just for the record, the Health & Safety Executive do keep a close eye on farms as doubtless the unfortunate owner of the cattle concerned would be able to confirm. The problem is that unlike many other businesses we conduct much of our production in the open countryside without the ability to restrict access to the site in the same way as for example is possible in a factory. The buzz words nowadays seem to be "free range", "outdoor", "local", "food miles", and "natually produced"; it would appear that some people think the food they take for granted to be available at their local supermarket is produced in a parallel universe! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harnser Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 To take any livestock , especially cows and pigs for granted is as stupid as trying to cross the M25 at nine in the morning . Harnser . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnGalway Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 (edited) . Edited September 22, 2009 by JohnGalway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tractorboy Posted June 24, 2009 Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 They were discussing this on the radio this morning and were talking some absolute **** about how Health and Safety should ensure that people are not at danger whilst walking in the countryside.... It isn't the frigging cow's fault if you walk into the field it lives in!! It is your responsibility to take care in a field of livestock and ensure your dog is under control. If you can't keep your dog under control around livestock, keep it on a lead and don't enter a fenced off field, regardless if a public footpath crosses it. here bloooody here :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted June 24, 2009 Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 They were discussing this on the radio this morning and were talking some absolute **** about how Health and Safety should ensure that people are not at danger whilst walking in the countryside.... They should be aware that they are in danger when in the countryside...I hate the townie ******** with no understanding (or interest) in open spaces! All the **** we get comes from 'townies' who think the countryside is all chocolate boxy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldrick Posted June 24, 2009 Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 Highlander, it doesn't help when DEFRA is headed by Benn and Fitzpatrick, two prize examples of towny ignorance (and filthy, subversive vegetarianism). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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